If the World Doesn't Want Me
by Estheim
Summary: Mutou Yuugi had always wished for a chance at a different life. Someone should have told him, be careful what you wish for ... shounen ai: Yami no Yuugi x Yuugi
1. Chapter 1: Prison

**If the World Doesn't Want Me**   
Prison   
by Josie

He had always been small for his age. It was the curse of a genetic flaw, really, but it still came down to, when push came to shove, he would never grow much taller than a grade school student. Usually, he was too wrapped up in his own world to really care too much, but, sometimes, it was the only thing he could think about. People looking down at him, soft snickering behind his back ... people thought he didn't notice, but he did. Every last sound made in jest about his height, or lack thereof, he noticed. It was redundant and annoying, and there were days that he couldn't stand it; days where he wished he was stronger, more threatening, so that he could simply stand up to every last person who made jokes about him and just tell them off. 

But he was the 'sweet one,' the 'innocent one.' If anyone was ever looking to find a person who would never step out of line or tell you that you were begin a first-class asshole, Mutou Yuugi was the person that they should seek out. 

He didn't want to be the innocent, sweet one. He didn't want to be the one who got tossed around. 

It was kind of hard to fight against that, though, when you had his obvious stature deficiency, unfortunately. 

Still, Yuugi was many things. A great listener, a true friend, someone who you could depend on to stand up for you if he felt that someone was wrongly accusing you of something. Unfortunately, people never really looked past his poor athletic ability and more introspective nature to actually find that out about him. They simply saw him as 'the kid whose grandfather owns that game shop,' or 'that kid who prefers his games to sports.' Sometimes, it pissed him off to no end (not that he would ever show it) ... other times, it made him very glad. When a person is as small as Yuugi, they become a target for bullies, someone who's 'easy to mess with.' And who was to defend him? The one real friend he had was a girl who was outcast almost as much as he was, though whether it was because she chose to associate with him or because of the fact that she stood up to the boys in their classes who tended to look at all females as sex objects, Yuugi had no idea. 

But even Anzu couldn't protect him against the school's bullies all of the time. 

Picked on and often beaten up, Yuugi had turned to the only thing he could actually have a chance of excelling at � games, much like those his grandfather sold. He'd been pouring his attention into games for so many years, since he six or seven, and they began to really take over his life. 

His pride, his treasure, was a golden puzzle that his grandfather had given to him eight years earlier. He'd worked on it almost every day in those eight years, but was still unable to actually solve it. He had begun to place so many hopes on this puzzle, without even realizing it. Somehow, he just knew that if he completed it, he would get any one of his wishes granted. 

That belief was all that kept him going sometimes. 

He was often dazed in class, not really interested in anything that his teachers had to say; no subject really held his fancy much, which was displayed very readily in the grades that he received. He never bothered to hide the fact that he didn't enjoy his classes from anyone in his family ... he was sure that they had been able to figure it out easily enough on their own, anyway. 

No, the only things that held his attention were his games; his puzzle, most specifically. It was perhaps strange, considering he had already started high school and was more concerned with his games than with his grades, or even with romance options, which perhaps outcast him even more, but he didn't seem to care. The opinions of others didn't matter to him as much as they do to some, although he would have liked to just not have to deal with people any longer. It became redundant, annoying, to be forced to deal with their rudeness, their talking down to him, constantly. 

His hopes were on his puzzle granting him the chance to get away from everything, from everyone. It was the one thing that couldn't be taken from him ... he guarded it with his life, really. Even Anzu thought it was a bit odd, though she did her best to hide it. She really was a great friend, but Yuugi had always rather sensed a bit of her wishing to pull away some, almost as though he was dragging her down, away from her own dreams. He didn't want to do that; he wanted his best friend to just be happy. He never wanted her to give up her happiness at his expense. 

Which, perhaps, was why he had begun dreaming of meeting someone new, a friend very much like him, who understood his passion for his games, and didn't look down on him for it; a friend who could look past his height impairment in order to discover the person that he really was. 

He sometimes wondered if it was even possible for such a wish to come true. More than anything, he truly wished that it was. 

- - -

It was a day much like every other. Yuugi supposed he shouldn't have been too surprised about that, but he couldn't help but wish that, just once, something would be different, at least for his birthday. 

Too many expectations placed on a matter of insignificance. 

He sighed, nearly inaudibly, wondering to himself why he had thought that he had placed any stock in his belief that something would be different that day. He still had school, after all. No amount of wishing could change that for him. He still had to sit in class and put up the fa�ade of listening to whatever it was the teachers were saying. It didn't interest him. It never did. 

Sometimes, he could feel their eyes on him; hear the snickers that they tried to keep silent. He knew that they laughed at him, and that no one ever really seemed to care too much about the fact that he even so much as existed. Most days, he ignored it. Others, it would eat its way into his heart, his mind ... his very essence. He wanted to just not have to deal with it. He wanted to not have to hear them, day in and day out, making comments about 'that strange little guy' who never pays attention in class. So he found classes boring. Where was the crime in that? 

Of course, it didn't help that the teachers all knew just how little he paid attention. He supposed that it would be most obvious to them ... he never knew what was going on when they would call on him during class, and his grades were so poor that the only way he could do worse was by just not showing up at all. 

And they purposely called on him. It was as though they lived for hearing those moments of, "Huh? What? I'm sorry ... could you repeat the question?" Those moments of Yuugi's face burning a deep crimson in embarrassment as the other students laughed at his obvious inattentiveness. 

Bastards, the lot of them. 

Idly, he moved his pencil across the sheet of paper on his desk, feigning note-taking so that, perhaps, the teacher might overlook him. He glanced up, listening for a moment, noting that, indeed, she was about to begin asking questions of the class. 

Of all of his classes, of all of his teachers, the one he was currently in was perhaps the worst. Chono-sensei was a rather bitter woman, and had a tendency to call on people while asking impossible questions on information that she had never taught whenever she was in a particularly nasty mood. Said nasty moods tended to occur whenever someone made a snide comment about her porcelain doll-like features. Yuugi winced slightly. He had heard that, on days after a bad date, she would find the smallest reason to expel as many students as possible. He had never personally seen it happen, but he also knew that he didn't want to risk tempting fate to find out if it was really true. He couldn't put his family through that ... it would break his grandfather's heart if he were to get expelled from high school after only having started two months earlier. 

He shrunk down in his seat a bit, hoping against every hope that this was not one of those days when she would be in one of her worst moods. He didn't need to deal with that right now; he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, though, for the life of him, he couldn't recall just why. _Was it the puzzle? Did I work on it that late last night?_ He watched Chono-sensei as she continued to scan the class, looking for her first victim, and suppressed a shudder as her eyes passed him. He had learned that, the less he moved and more he appeared to be paying attention, the less likely he was to be called on to answer a question. 

How ironic. 

He watched her carefully, not liking the look in her eye. He has a sinking feeling that he wasn't going to manage to get out of being seen this time, despite his stillness and his choice to sit behind some of the taller students in the class; usually, that was more than enough to keep him from drawing too much attention, a combination of his meager height and that the lack of movement didn't draw the eye. 

A fat chance of that happening this time, he realized, as Chono-sensei's gaze came back towards him. "Mutou." He nearly cringed at the absolute glee that he sensed in her voice. "The distinct characteristics of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt are ..." 

He gulped some ... he hadn't read the chapter in the text that he was supposed to; he didn't think it was too important, and he'd opted to, instead, spend his time working on the puzzle. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, at least. 

Now? He wanted to kick himself for it. 

"Um ..." He felt the heat rising to his cheeks, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I ... I don't know ..." He heard the snickers from next to him; they were soft, so as not to attract too much attention from Chono-sensei, but he could hear them quite clearly. 

"Mutou, weren't you in class when the reading assignment was given?" He gave a mumbled affirmative. "Wasn't there sufficient time to complete the assignment?" Another mumbled affirmative. "And, yet, you don't know the information from the assignment. There had better be a good explanation as to why. Or perhaps you would like your family to be informed of your poor performance in class today?" 

He winced. "I ... wasn't feeling too well last night, Chono-sensei." He hated lying, but there were times when you just couldn't avoid the necessity. This was one of those times. 

"You seem well enough to me, Mutou. Laziness does not equate to illness. You'll do well to remember that." More snickers. He sunk down in his chair some. 

"Yes, Chono-sensei," he mumbled, wishing � not for the first time - that he could just disappear. 

Such a wish just would not be granted, however, no matter how much he wanted it. 

He looked back down at his paper, biting back any emotion as he heard another student answer the question that he had passed up on; the sheer glee in that student's voice, the mocking looks that he felt on him, made him want to jump up and smack someone. That wouldn't be good. Causing a scene seldom was. 

_Popular, stuck-up brats, the lot of them. Can't stand them. Can't stand a single one._ He glanced up from his notebook, noting one of the more popular students scribbling something onto a small piece of paper and passing it to Jounouchi. He looked down again, scowling. _Of course they never get caught. Why would they? They're **perfect**. Just fucking perfect, all of them. They can't do a single thing wrong, even according to Chono-sensei. But someone like me? If I were to try to pass a note, she'd see it, read it out to the class, and be the first to laugh. Fuck her. Fuck **all** of them._ He glared at the paper, pencil moving along it in a design that mimicked his puzzle. _Don't need a single one of them._

If he was honest with himself, there were times when he envied people like Jounouchi and Honda. They had it made, in a sense; at least, as far as he could tell, they did. Everybody loved them; everybody wanted to be around them. And him? Well, he could probably drop dead in the middle of class, and people would only notice for the fact that they would have to step over the body. 

People _jumped_ at the opportunity to just be spoken to � spoken at? � by those two. Popularity creates that sort of mentality, he knew, but that fact didn't make it annoy him any less. They had people lining up to be around them, and he couldn't get anyone to pay attention to him unless they were making fun of him. Where was that fair in any way? 

He looked at the sketch he was doing, and paused, frowning at it for a moment before adding in a small detail that he'd forgotten with a wry grin. Everything about his puzzle calmed him down. He felt his annoyance die away some. Really, he shouldn't get so worked up about people like that; it was just ... it was one thing if they simply ignored his existence. He could deal with that; he wouldn't have to put up with whatever jokes were being said behind his back if they merely ignored his existence. But, no. They didn't do that. They made the jokes. They laughed. He couldn't stand it. And he wanted it to just all end. 

Just as he contemplated the odds of that ever happening, the bell rang, dismissing the class. He grabbed his things hastily and made a beeline for the door. 

- - -

Anzu was busy after school that day. Normally, she would have walked home with him, and they would have spent some time going over their homework; a vain attempt on Anzu's part to help Yuugi get his grades up. More than anything, though, the routine was done more for the company than anything else. Anzu didn't like to go home right away after school, simply because she didn't like dealing with the expectations of her family. She had always been expected to go to school and get her good grades, but, more than that, to remain as attractive as possible to get the 'best suitors possible' to come after her. 

An easy life. 

Yuugi knew how much the thought disgusted her, and, perhaps, that was why they had become such good friends so easily. Anzu was never the type of girl to sit around and let her life be handed to her by some pompous jerk; she could fight her own battles in her own way. Truly, she was one of the most amazing people that he knew and he couldn't be happier that they were such good friends. 

Anzu's main problem with her family's expectations, Yuugi knew, was that they would never, ever let her go after her one true dream: to move off to New York and become a dancer. He couldn't even count how many times he had lost himself in watching her on the Dance Dance Revolution machines in the arcade. When she was up there, she usually drew huge crowds. She was simply gorgeous when she danced. 

Truly one of the most focused people that Yuugi knew. And one of the strongest, if not so much in physical force as in the sheer intensity of her will. No one messed with him when she was around, because they didn't want to be beaten down by her moral standing. 

It wasn't so much that he _needed_ her around to stop others from pestering him as it was that he enjoyed the help, though. He wasn't _that_ easily broken, after all. It was just ... sometimes, they wouldn't let up. Then Anzu would yell at them to back the hell off, and they'd give him a glare that said, 'Next time, freak,' before scampering off. 

It was really hilarious. 

He liked the days when that happened; he felt a lot more at ease when he didn't have to worry about some idiot causing trouble for him. He didn't know what he might run into this time, since Anzu wasn't around to give the help that she normally would. As much as Yuugi wasn't so easily broken, he also didn't like the idea of having to deal with thugs alone for too long. He could stand up against them, but he couldn't do very much to ward them off beyond that; a fighter, he was not. 

_Just ... ignore those around you. Keep moving forward, forget that they're around. If you don't notice them, perhaps they won't notice you, either._ He liked that thought, although he knew that it was far from the truth. Ignoring those who pestered you did nothing to save you from their annoying attention � it only caused them to come after you more, because you seemed perfectly clueless to everything around you. He should know ... he'd tried it before. He kicked at a small rock on the ground as he walked, hoping that nothing would happen, that his fears were unfounded. 

Slow steps. 

He paused, frowning to himself; it felt as though he was being followed. It wasn't quite the general sense of, 'Oh, there are people around, and they're obviously walking behind me.' It was more the sense of, 'There's someone walking behind me, and they have some sort of malicious intent.' Each way had a different sort of feel, a different sort of prickling that runs down your spine. Yuugi had long since learned how to tell the difference. 

Taking a quick glance behind himself, Yuugi found nothing too out of the ordinary; just the ordinary foot-traffic of Domino City. He shrugged to himself, turning to face forward again, taking slow steps as he tried to shake off the feeling that someone with harmful intentions was following him; for all he knew, he was just imagining it, or perhaps feeling what was meant to be for someone else. 

He would have almost convinced himself of that, too, if a large, powerful hand hadn't closed around his shoulder a few short seconds later. 

_Damnit all to hell ..._ He almost growled in frustration. _Can't I just get one fucking break? Just once? It's all I ask._ He tried to pull away, but the hand was holding onto his shoulder much too firmly to allow for that. Resigning himself to his fate, he turned slowly, so that he could at least see the face of his attacker. "Ushio ..." he ground out bitterly. This was not going to be good. 

"Little freak." The taunt was growled just low enough that Yuugi barely heard it. His eyes darted about, looking for any possible ways to escape, but found that his luck was apparently lower than he had first thought. He was slowly being herded towards a deserted alleyway. 

_This is going to suck major ass._ The thought flittered through his mind before he really managed to figure out exactly what was happening. 

He never voiced such thoughts, though. If the thugs who beat him up had any idea what he thought when they hit him, they'd just continue longer; even Anzu's help wouldn't get them off of Yuugi's case. No, he remained silent, but glared defiance at them the whole way. 

That's all he had ever done. It was all he was really able to do. 

"You're a disgrace, Mutou!" He stopped himself from flinching as the thug cracked his knuckles. "A complete disgrace. You're a moron, and you don't even know how to play a sport. No redeeming qualities in you at all." 

_Like you have any? All you can do is beat up those smaller than you, and try to take whatever money you can. Greedy asshole._ He glared at Ushio just as a fist came right for his face. He felt himself reeling backwards, right into a brick wall, and quickly straightened himself up, glaring once again. He would not be broken by a simple thug. He had promised that to himself years ago. 

Another punch connected with his face, this time to his left cheek, and he once again felt himself fly backwards into the brick wall. He growled, but once again glared. _Make me feel it, asshole. Go ahead._

But, still, he knew that his chances of this ending anytime soon were slim to none. Without Anzu there to ward Ushio off, he was in for a long run of it. He hated these days. 

Another punch. "Don't look at me, you little freak!" And a punch to his chest. Still, he looked up at Ushio, glaring daggers. "You're a nobody. Nobody will ever care about you; nobody will give a rat's ass what happens to you." 

And still he glared on. He could see Ushio getting infuriated at his refusal to just fall into a whimpering mass. _Too fucking bad, fuckwit._

He didn't know what it was that made him refuse to back down to people like this. Perhaps it was just an ingrained notion to not see people win by stepping all over others the way that Ushio did; perhaps a desire to see them knocked down a few pegs. Whatever it was, he knew that not many others were standing up to them, so he might as well make his stand count. 

And still he glared. 

Ushio's face was red with fury, beady eyes enraged by Yuugi's lack of submission. "Don't look at me, runt!" A punch landed right on Yuugi's chest, knocking the air out of him. He smirked, looking right up at Ushio's face and glaring again, eyes clearly stating that he would not give up. 

What was the line from that American Western that he had watched with his grandfather? _Oh, right ... "Go ahead, make my day."_

He stood his ground, glaring right at Ushio, who was getting progressively angrier with each passing moment; Yuugi's refusal to give in was infuriating him beyond words. 

It got boring for him, Yuugi could tell. He continued to glare as Ushio backed away, muttering some half-formed threat. He didn't pay too much attention to it, only knew that it was probably something along the lines of how Ushio would make him break yet. He would win in the end. 

Yuugi didn't much care, if he was to be honest with himself. Whatever the thug wanted to throw at him, he would stand up to. He stood there for a few minutes after Ushio left, just staring blankly at the other wall before slowly staggering his way out of the alleyway. _Perfect fucking gift for my birthday. Beautiful. Just beautiful._

He wrapped an arm around his chest, knowing that it would be bruised badly for a few days to come. It was already hurting a bit to breathe. 

He knew that he was going to be questioned when he got home. He hated getting his grandfather so worried about him for something as stupid like this. If only morons like Ushio would leave him be. If only on his birthday he could get at least that much. 

As he got home and stepped through the doorway, another thought passed through his mind. 

_Anzu's going to be pissed when she finds out about this._

- - -

His heart pounded in his ears. 

Hands worked almost of their own accord, golden pieces moving against each other as the hands worked to place them together. 

_Have to do this._

_Thump_. His heart pumped again. 

His desire to see this through, to finally finish what he had started so many years ago, urged him onward. He would not stop. He _could_ not stop. 

How long had he been up here? Ten minutes? An hour? A day? 

He couldn't be sure. 

He didn't care. 

All that mattered was the puzzle. 

A click. Two pieces fit together perfectly. A grin slid into place on Yuugi's lips, and his eyes seemed to glow in fascination. It could be done. It would be done. 

The golden pieces seemed to wink at him, urging him onward. _"Finish me," it says. It needs to be done. It grows tired of being unfinished. It wants me to finally finish what I started eight years ago._ A quickened, gasping breath as another piece fit into those that had been placed together before. _Don't worry, I'll finish you. You are the most precious thing to me._

_Thump_. Another pound of his heart. 

Hands fumbled along the pieces, and his eyes narrowed, a scowl forming on his face. The pieces were not cooperating with him as much as he would have liked. 

_Did the lights go out?_ He glanced up, looking towards the window, noting that it was no longer light out. His gaze shifted to the desk lamp, noting that it was, in fact, on. He frowned. _No ... it's not out._ His attentions refocused onto the pieces of the puzzle. 

_Click_. A fanatic's grin as yet another piece of the puzzle fit into place along with its companions. _Yes. Join your friends, little one. Bring my dream to me. That's all I ask from you._ A thumb caressed the surface of the piece in his hand. _Do this for me, and I'll never let anything happen to you._

_Click_. Another piece fit in. 

A frown marred Yuugi's brow as he looked at the puzzle in his hand, still incomplete. He always got stuck at this point ... he had never gone further than this, because no piece seemed to work properly from here on. He growled very softly. _No! You have to work! You can't let me down now! I **need** to finish you!_ His eyes narrowed, seeming to glow with a flash of anger and despair. 

He reached into the golden box that held the remaining pieces of his puzzle, picking up one and sliding it along the mass in his hand. "Work." His voice was almost a growl. "Fit, damnit. Don't you _dare_ do this to me!" A frown. 

_Thump_. His chest constricted. The pounding of his heart was beginning to hurt. 

Still, he fumbled with the piece, until, suddenly, _click_. 

Eyes lit up, and his lips twisted into an almost sick grin. If anyone were to see him, they would probably wonder just what was wrong with him. 

He didn't care. This was all that mattered. His puzzle. His one love. 

_I'll finish you._

_Click_. His eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't even realized that he had picked up another piece and brought it to the puzzle, but there it was, fitting in perfectly. 

His grin became even more maddened. 

_Mine,_ Yuugi thought, the voice of his mind infinitely possessive. _You're so beautiful. Mine._ His hand reached into the box again, picking up another piece still. 

His mind was racing faster and faster. Nothing would stop him, he felt. This was the most important thing in his world, and not a single thing would stop him. The puzzle called to him, demanded that he finish it. He needed to finish it, to appease its beauty. For eight years, he had waited to see it in its full glory, he _would not_ stop now. Nothing was more important than freeing whatever it was that was within this puzzle. He felt it now, more than ever before. 

Yuugi wasn't sure if he would ever get this far again if he stopped now. 

He couldn't stop. He needed to continue on. 

Somewhere in the back of his mind, a small voice screamed out that he had to do his homework. It was pushed aside with a fanatical fervor. Homework was not important. 

That small voice screamed out again that he needed sleep. Again, that zeal pushed it aside. No, sleep was not important. 

The voice attempted to tell him that he was not being reasonable, that something was wrong with his thought process. 

Again, it was pushed aside. This time, Yuugi growled. 

_Thump_. 

The sound was abnormally loud to him, and his chest cried out in the pain. 

His fingers worked with the piece in his hand, running it along the mass of the puzzle that he had already completed. _Fit. Fit in, just as you were meant to._ His eyes narrowed again, and his thoughts became more desperate. _**Please**_ fit. 

_Click_. 

His wish was answered. 

The glint of the gold was beautiful. He wanted this so badly. 

The beauty of it was so simple in its perfection; the soft glint coming off of it from the small desk lamp, the smoothness of its surface, broken by small lines and indentations. He was in love, so completely and thoroughly. Perhaps others would have found it strange, his fascination and love for an object, but it was so important to him, so necessary to his life, that it did not seem odd to him. 

It breathed life into him, gave him a purpose. Nothing else was quite as important as this puzzle. He needed it, more than anything else in the world. His mind wrapped around the beautiful object in his hand as another piece was placed upon the puzzle. 

_Click_. Again, a fanatical grin. 

_My one love. My absolute beauty. I will protect you from anything._ If he were thinking clearly, he would have realized just how strange, how wrong, the thought was. But, to him, at that exact moment, it seemed perfectly normal. 

Still, the puzzle called out to him, and another thump sounded in his ears. His body demanded that he finish this puzzle _now_. 

_I won't let you down, my love._ He grinned. His thumb caressed the golden puzzle again. _I'll fix you up perfectly._ Again, it called to be finished. He grinned. _You want me, my love. Don't fret. I will come for you. I will save you._ He grinned, eyes glowing again. 

His life depended on this puzzle. His love grew with each passing moment. This puzzle was his and his alone. No one could take it from him. He didn't care who they were, this was his, and they would not touch it. 

Yuugi's breath quickened again, or so he felt that it did. He couldn't quite be sure if it was that his actions truly quickened, or if the world was speeding up around him. Everything around him moved faster and faster, demanding everything of him. Another pound of his heart, and blood rushed through his veins. 

It felt so good. 

Everything whirled around him. His thoughts were no longer even clear. 

A scent, slightly exotic, reached his nose. He paused, closing his eyes to take in the scene more, confused at where it was coming from. A strong scent of fruits ... figs, most predominantly, but also grapes. He frowned slightly, knowing that they had not had any in their house for a long while. _Where is that coming from?_

It wasn't that the scent was bad, though. He loved the smell of it. It just confused him to no end. Still, it was intoxicating to him. He wanted more ... he wanted to smell it forever. 

It drew him in more, seducing him. _My love, is that you?_

Something seemed to answer him, a deep, mesmerizing voice telling him that, yes, it was his love who was creating this wonderful scent. Something seemed to reach out and touch him, caress him. He moaned very softly. It felt so very good ... almost as though fingers were tickling along his neck, bringing his nerves to life. "Please don't leave me," he nearly whimpered out. Arms seemed to wrap around him, and something that felt akin to lips pressed against his neck in an almost possessive act. He sighed in relief. His love wanted him. He leaned into that embrace. "My love ..." Another deep kiss to his neck, and he sighed again. "Please help me. I need you. I need to find you." His infatuation grew with each passing moment. 

A nod against his shoulder. 

Hands moved down Yuugi's arms gently, sending shivers down his spine as his nerves were awakened there, as well. _It feels so good ... so wonderful. Please stay with me. Never leave me again, my love._ He sighed at the touch, disappointed as those hands reached his own. "Guide me, please." His eyes remained closed. 

Gently, those hands guided his own. 

Slowly, he felt himself picking up another piece, placing it against the puzzle, and distantly heard it click into place. Lips pressed against his ear and gave a gentle bite. He felt a tongue slide gently along it afterwards, soothing. His nerves shot shivers of desire all along him. _More._

Another piece was picked up, and placed upon the puzzle, again clicking into place. His heart raced faster. 

_**Find me ... free me ...**_

The voice drifted through his mind, urging him onward. _Yes. I'll find you, my love. I won't let you down, I promise._ His eyes remained closed as hands he had never before felt guided his own, placing pieces into where they belonged. He smiled, leaning back further, drowning in that intoxicating scent. "Take me over ... let me drown in all that you are. Fill my senses as they've never been before." His head leaned back, against a shoulder that his mind screamed wasn't truly there. "Please ..." His voice was a soft whimper. A hand left his own, followed by a finger briefly brushing across his lips. 

_**Soon. Soon I will be able to give you everything that you want. But you must finish your task first, my little one.**_

It drove him mad, being so close to everything that he could ever want, but not being able to have it just yet. He wanted it so bad. His love, the one who he could be with forever, the one who would want him unconditionally, was right there within his grasp. 

_Click_. Another piece slid into place. His eyes opened to the smallest of slivers as he looked towards the golden box. One piece left. His gaze drifted to the puzzle in his hands, noticing the space at what could only be the front of his puzzle ... the space where this one piece belonged. His felt his breath catch. 

He noticed something that should have screamed out to him readily, warning him off. The hands guiding his own were not of flesh; those hands were composed entirely of shadows. But it didn't matter. 

He felt himself pick up the final piece, felt himself caress it for a moment. "Please, love ... please ..." 

_**I'm with you. Don't fret, my beautiful one. I won't leave you. I'll give you everything.**_ Lips pressed onto his own, and that scent, that glorious scent, filled him even more. Yuugi whimpered softly as the lips of his love pulled away. _**You'll be mine forever, as I am yours.**_

Yuugi smiled. 

_Thump_. The pumping of his heart was unbearable now. His chest was so constricted that each of his quickened, gasping breaths hurt more than the last. He needed to finish this so badly. His entire body yearned for the completion of this puzzle ... for his chance to be with the other half of his soul. _The other part of me ... another person who is exactly like me ... the one person who is meant only for me. I won't let you get away. My one, my only._ His grin bordered on insane, his eyes glowing with the intensity of one who had lost their mind to thoughts not of this world. 

Still, his hands moved, guided by the shadows, bringing that final piece closer and closer to its resting place. 

_**Free me, little one. Bring me to life.**_

"Wake up for me ... please ..." 

_Click_. The final piece slid into place. 

"Please save me. Please come to me. Live for me, my one ... my love. My other self." He leaned back into the shadow behind him. "Come to me." His eyes slid closed again. _Please ... please ..._

The lips pressed against his again, and he smiled into the touch. _**I have been with you for a while, little one. But now, you must find me.**_

He frowned as something wrapped around his chest even more tightly. It hurt, each breath burning its way into his lungs with a fire that he had never felt before. Tears slipped from his eyes at the pain; a pain worse than any he had felt in his life. The cruelest punches had never hurt anywhere near as much as this. He whimpered. _Stop ... it hurts ... please stop._ He whimpered. _Hurts ... so much ..._

It was the final coherent thought he had before his body collapsed to the floor. 

- - -

Yuugi looked around himself, noting that the hallway that he found himself in seemed extremely forbidding. It seemed very cold; the stone walls, floor, and ceiling felt as though they were going to close in on him at any moment. He shivered. _What is this place?_

A slow, cautious step forward. He paused, turning as the sound reverberated along the corridor, then turned back to the way he had first faced. A frown marred his face. No distinct features marked any of the walls; no doors seemed present, and there was no widening of the walkway that he could see that would mark the start of a room. 

"Hello?" No response. His breathing quickened some, as a feeling of impending dread overcame him. The fear seemed almost irrational, but he couldn't quite place why he felt that way. It just felt wrong, in every way. Part of him cried out that the silence was too overpowering, that he should work to break it. His instincts caused him to obey. "Is there anyone here?" And still, no response. He sighed. "Where is here?" he asked softly, dejectedly. 

He paused again. _Why am I here, anyway? What happened?_ He frowned again. _All I remember is finishing my puzzle. Is that why I'm here?_ He shook his head. _No, that can't be right. Just because I put so many hopes on it doesn't mean that it really has some sort of magical power._ He looked around himself again. _This place is so odd, though. But ... it feels so familiar, at the same time. Why?_

His spine stiffened slightly, almost as though he felt like he was being watched. Quickly, he turned around, only to find what appeared to be nothing ... he would have believed it to be nothing, as well, if not for the slight shimmer he saw in the air. "Who's there?" But, once again, no reply. Yuugi sighed in frustration ... he was really starting to get annoyed by this entire situation. Being in this strange place, with no one around, and having absolutely no idea what he was doing there was the most bizarre thing he had ever experienced in his life. 

But, as he looked, beside the shimmer, there seemed to be a slight indentation within the wall ... something that he was sure might actually be a doorway. Without hesitation, he moved towards it, intent to get to the bottom of what this might be. 

He almost ran for the door, though he didn't realize that he was doing so. His need to know what was happening, to get to the end of what seemed to be a horrible nightmare, made him forget all sense of caution. 

He paused outside of the doorway the he found there, frowning once again. It was odd, in a way ... he'd never seen a door that looked quite like it. He wasn't quite sure why he thought of it as strange ... he supposed, if anything, it was just that it was a little creepy. An ominous eye was engraved into the door, as though it were trying to look into the very essence of his soul. 

Within him, something screamed that he should turn back, that he should find another way. Yet, even as he felt that, another voice seemed to call out to him to fight his fears and steady himself; he should walk through that door and see what fate held for him. 

Closing his eyes and taking a few steadying breaths, Yuugi reached out his right hand to open the door ... but, before he even managed to touch it, it sprung open of its own accord. A cautious peek inside showed him that there was no one there who could have opened it, and he had to fight back the feeling in his gut telling him that venturing into this room might be a bad idea. Slowly, one slow step after another, he made his way into the room, looking around curiously. "Hello?" 

"For a while now, I've heard a voice crying out to me ... begging for help, for salvation. A voice asking for a chance to not have to see the world any longer. That voice breathed life into me, slowly, over these past few years. Are you that voice?" 

He jumped, but only a little. In truth, he had not expected a reply at all, not after the lack of response he'd gotten so far in his crazy nightmare. His eyes narrowed some at the sound of this voice that sounded so like his own, yet distinctly different at the same time; he peered into the darkness ahead of him before answering cautiously, "I ... I think so ..." 

No response met his words. A small step forward; cautious, more so than before. The darkness receded some, and he heaved a sigh of relief. 

"Why are you here?" A simple enough question. The voice held such power behind it; a confidence that Yuugi was sure would never be heard in his own voice permeated this voice, and he listened carefully to its sound ... deeper than his own, and smooth as the blackest silk. Yuugi wondered how dangerous this person might be, if it was at all safe to be in the same room as him, but dismissed the thought quickly. Judging a person on only their voice was as superficial as those who judged him on his height. 

"I don't really know." It wasn't a lie, in any way. He truly did have no idea why he was in this place. _I've never been here before in my life._ He frowned. "I don't know why I'm here ... but, can you please tell me where ... _here_ is?" 

Another pause, then, "My home." The answer was simple enough, and the voice seemed content to leave it at that; Yuugi must have not looked very pleased with the response, however, as he elaborated. "I have lived here for the past three thousand years, young one. Well, perhaps, if you call it living. I suppose it would be more correct if I were to say that my consciousness has floated here." 

"But ... that doesn't really tell me anything." 

A chuckle. "No, I suppose it doesn't. It's rather difficult to explain, really. The simple answer to your question would be that you are within the puzzle that you have been piecing together for these past few years." 

"It's been half of my life," Yuugi interrupted. Again, a chuckle. 

"Has it, indeed. But that half of your life is nothing in comparison to my three millennia of imprisonment, wouldn't you say?" Yuugi had the distinct feeling that, whoever this person was, they were smiling as they spoke. A shift in the shadows, and the sound of footsteps. Yuugi froze, spine stiffening at the sound and movement. "Don't worry, young one. I do not intend to harm you." The voice was gentle. "I wish only to let you see the one that you have returned to life." 

The other stepped closer, and the shadows receded again. Yuugi found himself stumbling backwards in shock. "You're ..." 

"Not who you think I am, I'm sure, my young life-giver." 

Yuugi shook his head. "Why do you look like me? Is this ... a figment of my imagination?" 

"Not at all. I am the one that has been beside you, the one who you have told your problems to without realize that is what you were doing. I am the one who has listened to you for these past eight years, growing closer to you than I would have imagined possible. I have returned to life, for you. I can be your companion, if that is your wish." He smiled. "But I am, in no way, a 'figment' of your imagination. I lived just as surely as you many, many years ago." 

"Then ..." Still, Yuugi was baffled. 

"I do not have an explanation for our resemblance, unfortunately." It was as he finished speaking those words that Yuugi truly took a closer look at him. On the surface, yes, they had many similar features ... their hair, most notably, which was likely what surprised him the most. He didn't have the most common hair in the world, after all ... black, blonde, and violet were the most absurd combination ever, probably, though it was surprisingly his natural color. That this other person had the same hair was just mind-boggling. Though, upon closer inspecting, Yuugi noted that this other person had more blonde to his hair, and pushed said blonde bangs out of his face more. Some were even standing upright in dangerous-looking spikes � he noted one in particular, at the center of his head that looked like a lightning bolt. 

Still, surface resemblances aside, there were some differences that were rather blaring ... this other was taller than him, stood in a more self-assured manner, and his eyes were nowhere near as wide as Yuugi's own. He frowned, looking into those eyes more deeply, wondering what it was about them that bothered him so much. The color was different, but the mere fact of that was not the problem. There was something about the specific color that almost sent up warning flags of danger. 

He chuckled again. "It's rude to stare, my young life-giver." He laughed softly as Yuugi blushed, then took a step forward, closing the gap between them. "Tell me, young one, what is your name? I feel as though I know so much about you, and yet I do not even know that much." 

He looked at the stranger warily, not sure if he should trust what him so easily, but just as quickly began to write the entire experience off as a dream. _It's too fantastical to be anything else, right?_ He smiled at his companion, and said finally, "Mutou Yuugi. And ..." 

"For now, you can just think of me as another extension of yourself; another version of yourself." The statement was almost cryptic, but, in a way, seemed to make sense to Yuugi; they looked so much alike that it did feel like what this other self was telling him was in fact the truth. "We are partners, Yuugi; at least, we can be if you so choose. If you allow me to stay by your side, if you'll walk with me, we will not be separated. We will always be able to work together." 

"You would do that for me? You would stay with me like that forever?" 

"It's the least that I can do for the one who has given me life once more." 

He felt his cheeks burn slightly with embarrassment; he had never had someone offer something quite like this ... an offer to never leave him. It was really the one thing he wanted more than any other in the world; it was what he had wished for as he had placed the puzzle together. In his stomach, he felt a warm feeling bubbling up, a happiness and comfort that he was sure he had never felt before in his life. "I ..." His voice was shaky; he hated hearing that insecurity in his voice. It was something he had tried to train out of himself for so many years now, and he had thought that he had been doing a good job at it, too. He supposed that getting the shock of his lifetime probably went a long way to pulling through all of his defenses and allowing him to show some weakness, whether he wanted to show it or not. "I would love for that to happen." A smile. Yuugi breathed a sigh of relief. "You would do anything?" His other self nodded. "Would you keep me from having to go out there ever again?" He didn't want to admit that it was something that he wanted more than anything, really he didn't. But, there was something about this person that seemed protective, safe. He was sure that he could admit his weaknesses to this person without much in the way of trouble. "Would you allow me to stay here? Would you get rid of all of my problems for me? Please ..." 

"Is that truly what you want? To give your life away to another? I will do that for you, but only for as long as you would need me to. I do not expect to take over your life forever, life-giver. But, if you truly wish it so, then I will help change your life to be better for you. I will right the wrongs within it and save you from those who have harmed you. You will have nothing to fear, for as long as we walk side by side." He looked at Yuugi, one elegant eyebrow raised, waiting for an answer. A nod, and he smiled at the teenager before moving another step forward. He heard Yuugi swallow hard as he realized just how _close_ they truly were ... so close that they were nearly touching. "I will always protect you," he whispered, voice a gentle, smooth silk as his hand reached up to cup Yuugi's cheek. The teenager was unable to fight a blush, and his other self's smile turned to an almost mischievous grin as he leaned in closer. "This, young one, is my promise to you." 

Before Yuugi realized what was happening, warm lips had already pressed onto his own. His senses dulled some, as warmth washed through his entire being. His vision started to go black, his hearing became faint. All he knew, all he sensed, was the kiss from his other self, deepening slowly, maddeningly. 

However, it was just as he felt the other's tongue enter his own mouth that his senses died completely, and he knew no more. 

- - -

He had a feeling that he shouldn't be sleeping, that he should be waking up. As though something needed to be done, as though he needed to be somewhere right then. But he didn't want to get up; he wanted to stay in this comfortable, comforting sleep for as long as he possibly could. 

What he wanted, however, apparently didn't matter to the soft, consistent beeping that kept pounding into him, destroying his dreams, as well as his hopes of sleep. 

Slowly, his eyes opened, and he found himself staring at a white, almost blindingly so, ceiling. He frowned, eyes squinting involuntarily. This place, wherever it was, smelled clean, but not in a good way. It smelled too clean. The scent of too much antiseptic burned at his nostrils as he breathed in. _What is this place ...? Why am I here?_

And still, the incessant beeping persisted. He cringed, shifting slightly, and heard a shocked gasp at his movement. Slowly, he turned his head towards the direction the sound had come from, and saw an old man with wild hair and violet eyes, and then frowned. _He seems familiar. Why ...?_ He paused, shifting through memories that he felt strangely detached from, reading through them as though they were a mental book. Something about that struck him as odd, but he couldn't bring himself to worry too much about it as he continued to trudge his way through the memories, trying to figure out who this was. _... Grandfather ...?_ The word came to him, but still seemed off. Something about giving that title to this person didn't seem quite right. After all, he couldn't even truly remember who this was. 

"Yuugi!" 

He winced; the sound was too loud, and made his head ring some. At the same time, he processed what the strange man had said. _Yuugi ... that's my name, right? Mutou ... Yuugi ..._

"Yuugi, you're awake." The old man - his grandfather - must have noticed that speaking too loudly bothered him right now, because he now spoke much more softly. "You had me worried." 

"Where am I?" He could have blanched at how the words sounded. _Was that my voice? Why does it sound ... so weak?_

"Where are you?" The old man stared at him in shock, as though he couldn't believe that he had just asked such a question. As though it was the stupidest question in the world. "You're in the hospital, Yuugi ... you've been unconscious for three weeks." 

_In a coma, he means._

"Yuugi ... that puzzle I gave you ... the night that you finished it, you -" 

"What puzzle?" He didn't know why he had felt such a strong urge to cut the old man's words off. 

"You'll see soon enough, I ... suppose ..." The old man's words dropped as he took a good look at his grandson, staring into unfamiliar eyes. This person definitely looked like Mutou Yuugi, but those eyes ... those were not the eyes of his kindhearted grandson. Where a gentle violet had once glimmered, now burned a fiery red singed slightly with violet on its edges. _Who is this person ...?_ He didn't dare voice the thought aloud, almost worried at what would happen to him if he did. 

He closed his eyes, rolling over as much as he could on the small, hard bed. "I'm tired." The words were curt, almost an order, and a very definite signal that the conversation was over. He didn't open his eyes again, and heard the footsteps of the old man eventually moving towards the door. He let out his breath once he heard the door close, not even realizing that he had been holding it in. _What is all of this?_

- - -

**Disclaimer:** Yuugiou is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. I do not claim any right to the series or its characters, and I should probably apologize for the hell I'm likely to be putting them through in this story.   
**Author's Note:** Just a random 'What if?' AU idea (well, rather, a combination of a few) that I've been tossing around. Namely, "What if the characters were each slightly different?" If Jounouchi and Honda weren't originally 'classic thugs,' if Yuugi never became friends with them, etc. That combined with, "What if Mutou Yuugi wished to change ... and never return to how he had been before?" It makes much more sense in actual story format, I promise.   
**Language Note:** I know, I know, notes galore on this story. But I felt that this one would be an important one to put in. Okay, so, without trying to sound too much like a hypocrite, I'm going to explain really quickly a little bit about what I'm going to be doing language-wise on this series. I'm going to be trying to keep true to the Japanese version's information/ages/names/whatnot; however, I'm going to do the 'unthinkable' and avoid using Japanese words in the story (this includes phrases that characters use to refer to each other. Instead of 'aibou,' Yami no Yuugi will be referring to Yuugi as 'partner,' since that is the translation of it, and it's not exactly the hardest thing to translate. Likewise, 'mou hitori no boku' will be translated depending on where it lies in a sentence. Sometimes it will be 'my other self,' other times, '(an)other me'). Names (Yami no Yuugi) won't be translated, however, because, well ... it's the character's name. Also, honorifics are another matter entirely. There's no true way to translate honorifics into English and have them keep their meaning, as they would all generally translate into the same titles. Honorifics are kept mainly to keep the personalities of the characters set in ... the types of honorifics a character uses shows their personality in terms of how they view/act around others, as well as how much they respect others (in other words, someone calling Yuugi as 'Mutou-san' would have more respect for him or wouldn't be quite so close to him as someone calling him 'Yuugi-kun.' Likewise, someone calling him 'Yuugi' would tend to be much closer to him than someone calling him 'Yuugi-kun.' However, in certain cases, there are characters who drop honorifics completely, because that is simply their nature. That sort of character tends to be more brusque than others). My reason for doing this? Well, in my own experience, quite honestly, the 'fangirl Japanese' that tends to appear in so many stories tends to detract from the story itself (and I'm speaking as someone who has studied the language). A reader should not have to look at a translation note just to read a story. It's all well and good to be proud of learning another language, but 'Englanese,' as I've begun calling it, does nothing but make your story more confusing. I don't mean this as an insult to other writers, in any way ... it's strictly my opinion. I'm just mentioning it to explain why I won't be using that method in my own writing from now on. Thank you. 


	2. Chapter 2: Crash

**If the World Doesn't Want Me**   
Crash   
by Josie

"Wake up, little one." Crimson eyes looked onto the sleeping figure gently as a hand ran through golden bangs almost lovingly. He frowned softly when there was no response. "Please, my beautiful one?" A small grin tugged at the lips of the other, and he knew exactly what was being planned; his beautiful little life-giver wanted to play at a test of wills. 

He could play this game very easily. 

Slowly, he trailed his fingers down the other's face; it was light, the touch barely that of a butterfly's wings. He grinned mischievously as he felt his life-giver twitch almost imperceptibly. _Got you._ He held in a chuckle as he saw the other's nose scrunch slightly. His fingers trailed lower, skimming past Yuugi's chest before he trailed them off to the side some. He smirked, tickling the life-giver's side slowly, lightly. 

Yuugi twitched again, starting to writhe a bit in his fa�ade of sleep. The spirit continued to tickle him, and he felt a small laugh bubble up from his throat unbidden. _Damnit ..._ He knew his attempt to win this game was not going to get him anywhere. Violet eyes opened slowly, staring into pools of concerned, caring crimson. "Yes?" 

Another smirk. "Do you plan on sleeping forever?" Yuugi shrugged in response. "You'd leave me to boredom?" He grinned as Yuugi blushed, leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on the teenager's cheek. _He looks lovely like that._

Yuugi sat up in the bed, looking around himself slowly, heart almost stopping in surprise for a moment before he remembered just where he was. "I still get confused looking at this room." He glared at his companion when he heard a chuckle in response. "You still haven't explained why it looks so much like my bedroom." 

"Isn't that the place you're most comfortable?" A nod. "That's why, life-giver. Because you are most comfortable within your bedroom, the room of your soul takes on its shape. Within your soul, you should always be at your most comfortable state." He smiled at the understanding look that crossed Yuugi's face. He sat beside his beautiful little one, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "What are you thinking, little one?" 

"I'm thinking it'd be nice if you'd stop calling me _that_." A laugh. 

"What would you like me to call you, then?" 

Yuugi closed his eyes again, thinking. "I don't know ... just ... not that." Another laugh. "I'm not kidding. I don't need my other self calling me little." 

Crimson eyes looked at him lovingly again. "In comparison to me, you are little, though. At least in terms of age." Yuugi stuck his tongue out, and the spirit laughed. "So very young compared to me." 

"Says the guy who looks all of a year older than me." 

"Looks can be deceiving, life-giver. I've got a good three thousand years on you." 

"During which you've been dead." 

"Merely a technicality." He smirked as Yuugi chuckled, before suddenly bringing his beautiful one into a tight embrace, earning a small squeak. "Why do you look so lonely, my life-giver?" He pressed a kiss into Yuugi's neck. "You are not alone now. I will never let you be alone ever again." His hair moved as a soft sigh of contentment escaped Yuugi. 

"Thank you." 

"You've given me my life and your love." He placed a gentle kiss on Yuugi's lips. "In return, I have promised to give you that which you wish most. I will give you the life which you seek. I won't make you go back out there if that's what you wish." The teenager snuggled into his arms, and he ran his fingers through golden, ebony, and violet hair; a gentle caress to a loved one. 

"I don't want this to ever end." Yuugi buried his face into his other self's shoulder. "I don't want this moment to ever end. I like being here ... right here, in your arms." 

The spirit smiled, holding Yuugi closer. "I wouldn't have it any other way." 

Suddenly, constant ringing snapped him out of Yuugi's soul room and to attention in the real world, making him sit bolt upright, fiery eyes searching precariously for the source of the disturbance. A deep growl emerged from his throat, and anger permeated his entire being. _What the fuck ... who the hell did that! Who's making this damned sound?_ His eyes narrowed. _Where is it?_

He couldn't stand the noise. He pulled himself off of the bed, untangling himself from sheets that had managed to wrap around his entire body. He growled again. _Where the hell is it!_

His head tilted to the side some, and he closed his eyes, listening carefully as he cleared his head of frustration. _Where?_ A frown marred his features as his head turned towards the sound. Crimson eyes opened slowly, staring ahead blankly for a moment before focusing on what lay before him. A strange table � _desk,_ his mind told him as he seemed to flip through that odd memory book in his head � with a few books standing upright on him, and some odd light-producing object � _lamp,_ his mind interjected again. He frowned, looking at the twitching object sitting on it, making its racket of ringing. He growled at it and stalked over, grabbing it up. "You," he ground out. "What right do you have to disturb my slumber?" 

The response was continued, joyful ringing. He could not stand such a perky thing in the morning. _Clock,_ he thought morosely. _It's called a clock, right? But what is that infernal noise?_ He paused, blinking as he sifted through that book again. _Ah ... alarm. A noise set to alert or awaken._ He frowned. _Why the hell would I need to be alerted? Is something wrong?_ He looked around himself. _No, nothing seems wrong. Then, what? I need to awaken? At **this** time of the morning? Why?_ He frowned, again sifting through the book, finding memories of a room with many desks, people sitting behind them. _School ..._ he thought. 

He glared at the little clock as it flailed its little hands upon the bell on top of itself, trying to will it to stop. 

It didn't listen. 

Another growl. "Shut _up_, would you?" Still, the little clock didn't listen. His glare intensified. "Listen here, you ..." But it just kept on ringing. 

A small chuckle sounded within his head, and he frowned, closing his eyes again, allowing himself to connect his thoughts to Yuugi's. An elegant eyebrow rose at the teenager's continued laughter. _What?_

Yuugi's mental voice had the tell-tale sound that he was probably wearing as mile that lit up his entire soul room. _**You're getting worked up over something so stupid,**_ he replied simply. _**It can't hear you, my other self. It's an inanimate object. Not much different from a rock, in that sense.**_ He laughed at the growl he got in response. _**Problem?**_

_How do you **stop** it?_ Yuugi's laughter intensified. _Well?_

_**Oh, ruin my fun, why don't you.**_ The spirit was given the mental image of Yuugi sticking his tongue out at him again. _**There's a switch on the back. Flip it down, and the alarm turns off.**_

_Thank you,_ he thought back at Yuugi, mental voice almost a hiss. He was obviously annoyed. _And don't stick that out at me unless you're going to use it, little one._ Yuugi laughed again as the spirit returned his attention to the alarm clock, flipping the switch. "Who would have thought ..." he muttered, pointedly ignoring the laughter in his head, as intoxicating as the sound was. _Well, at least someone's having a good time,_ he thought resentfully. 

_**Don't sulk, my other self. It's unbecoming.**_ The laughter intensified, and he winced. 

How he loved the sound of that voice. His life-giver's happiness was invigorating, and, to him, made it all worth it. _Quiet now. I won't be able to concentrate if you keep on like that._ The laughter immediately stifled, and he felt a wave of apologetic emotion hit him, along with affection. He allowed himself a small smile and pushed a wave of affection back towards the little one. _I forgive you, my little one. I forgive you._ Truly, he'd forgive his life-giver anything. 

He looked around, stretching luxuriously as he did, glancing at the offensive clock in his hand with a raised eyebrow. _So, explain this one to me, then ..._

_**Mm ...? Telling time, you mean? It's not that hard, you know.**_

_Enough with the comments, little one. Just let me know how._ He smiled some as he felt the touch of his beautiful life-giver, gently prodding and showing him exactly how to read the clock, and pressing information into him on when he needed to be in important places. He smiled. _Mm, that feels nice, little one._ He sent another wave of affection to his life-giver again, laughing softly as it was returned. _At least I know that you enjoy having me here._

_**You're everything I've dreamed of.**_

He chuckled softly to himself, placing the alarm clock onto the desk again before turning to the closet. "So, school, huh?" 

_**Yes, school.**_ Yuugi sounded upset with the prospect, and the spirit controlling their shared body frowned as he started to pick up Yuugi's school uniform, looking at it in distaste. 

_Not very fashion-conscious, these schools, are they?_ Yuugi laughed in response, and the spirit smiled. He looked through the closet some more, finding a sleeveless leather shirt that caught his eye. _Hmm, that could work._ He took it off of the hanger, placing it on the bed while he took off the shirt of Yuugi's pajamas. 

As he dressed, he reflected on the three days since he had woken up in that strange room, which he had come to know as a hospital room. His mind had worked to come up with a correlation to what this 'hospital' was, and, eventually, he had settled upon it being a station in which healers work. That, however, didn't explain why there had been all of those tubes that seemed like miniature torture devices attached to him, pumping strange fluids into him. He had at first thought they were draining him, as his energy had felt so low while he was there, but he had come to realize that they were actually attempting to give him more strength. 

It had been a very odd concept to him. 

He had been allowed to leave the day after he had awoken, and had gone 'home' with the odd old man that he had vaguely remembered as his grandfather � Yuugi's grandfather, in actuality. The title did not sit well with him, despite him having been in the old man's home for the past couple of days, but it would cause too much suspicion if he were to call him anything else. 

_**You realize that you're likely to get yelled at by the teachers, I hope.**_ He frowned at Yuugi's warning, raising an eyebrow as he looked at himself in the mirror. _**Modification of school uniforms isn't exactly tolerated.**_ He felt Yuugi wince as he placed a black strap on the end of each sleeve of the jacket, and a mental prodding told him that Yuugi was also referring to the leather shirt and collar he had decided to put on. He simply shrugged. 

_Do you think it matters to me what they think, my partner?_ A soft wave of approval at the new title hit him, and he smiled. _Ah, you like me calling that? Perhaps that is what I will refer to you as, then._ He looked back at his reflection, eyes burning in frozen anger. _To those that hurt you, I will show no weakness. They will not get away with what they have done._

Yuugi's shudder within his mind was not missed as he walked from the room. 

- - -

It could have been just something in the air. Or perhaps it was just the way that the sun shone that day. It could even have been just the fact that it was time for Chono-sensei's class. 

Whatever it was, Jounouchi Katsuya could not deny that there was something that was just very off as he walked into the classroom. It sent a shiver along his spine, making him wonder at first if perhaps the school had managed to get some insanely powerful air conditioning unit overnight. 

There had been whispers in the halls; mentions of 'that kid' returning after an unexplained three-week absence. _Maybe that's what it is,_ he thought. _Maybe it's anticipation at this random phenomenon._ He slumped into his seat, looking around quickly. _Somehow, that kid disappearing made him the most talked about person in the school. No one knows what happened, and everyone wants a piece of the information._ His eyes fell on Mazaki, noting that she seemed a bit more relaxed than she had been at any point in the past three weeks. _Well, that makes sense. Wasn't she his best friend or something? Only person who would be caught dead near him, anyway. Never did understand that one._ His eyes raked over her. _Why would someone who looks like **that** want to be caught hanging around with a guy who doesn't look any older than ten?_

He looked away quickly when Mazaki seemed to notice his attention on her. 

_That was a close one._

A low murmur seemed to overcome the class as the door opened. All eyes turned that way, and Jounouchi had the feeling that more than just a few of his classmates were holding their breath in anticipation. He couldn't say that he honestly blamed them. Is it ...? 

He felt as though the wind knocked out of him when, indeed, it was Mutou Yuugi who walked through the door. It wasn't so much his walking in that caused the reaction, however; it was the entire way that he _carried_ himself. He seemed so _confident_, so entirely sure of himself; it was almost as though there was arrogance in his step, as though no one was good enough to be in his presence. It was like nothing Jounouchi had ever seen before, in anyone. Even his most cocky walk didn't match this. 

His gaze flickered over to Mazaki again, not quite sure why he was so interested in what her reaction was to seeing this changed Mutou. If there was a reaction, however, he couldn't tell ... she watched him, her features practically cut in the stone of a statue. 

_This could be interesting,_ he thought to himself as he turned his attentions back to Mutou. 

His eyes narrowed. There was more to this guy than just his walk that was changed; his entire manner was, as well. 

It didn't make sense to him; Mutou was always so reserved, never quite so flagrant as he seemed now. Yet, here he was, practically strutting his way into the room, eyes burning with determination and self-assurance. _Wait, burning ...? His eyes ... what on earth is up with his eyes!_ He looked carefully, suppressing a shudder, but just barely. Those eyes worried him, freaked him out to no end; crimson fire burned where there should have been violet. _Demon,_ his mind cried out. _He has the eyes of a demon._

It made no sense. It was just completely unheard of. 

Jounouchi did not like it at all. 

"Look at that choker," someone whispered into his ear, and his eyes immediately snapped to Mutou's neck. 

"Are you sure that's a choker, Honda?" he frowned as he whispered back. "It looks more like a collar." 

"What's with all the leather?" Jounouchi shook his head. He had no idea. 

_Kid disappears for a few weeks and comes back with a leather fetish?_

It made no sense. 

Mutou seemed like he wasn't paying attention to anyone; his attention seemed so wholly focused on something that wasn't quite in the room. _Freaky._ He shivered as the other teenager paused in front of his desk, forcing himself to not make it too obvious that he was staring � although he was sure that, if Mutou was even paying attention to anything that was going on, he already knew that the entire class was staring at him, anyway � as he took in the other's appearance. It seemed so forbidding, so dangerous. 

Jounouchi frowned. _He seems ... taller, somehow. Maybe he started a growth spurt while he was away?_ He shrugged mentally; really, it shouldn't have mattered to him. He never actually spoke to Mutou at all, anyway. _Why am I so interested in this? Why do I feel like I have to know everything about him now?_

He didn't need to answer the question, though. It was plainly obvious why he felt such a desire to find out whatever he could. This new Mutou Yuugi was something of an enigma, more so than he had been before his sudden disappearance. His entire personality seemed to have changed so drastically in just three weeks, and it was just confusing. Mind-boggling, even. 

It urged him, and most likely many of his classmates, to press on, find out whatever he could, as fast as he could. 

Crimson eyes flicked to him, and he felt his breath catch as they narrowed in a glare that froze his very being. _Dangerous ... who are you? What's with that glare?_ He never would have thought that Mutou could ever have such deadly eyes, or that he would look at someone with such obvious hatred. _Did I do something to him?_ He honestly could not remember if he had. 

He didn't know how long he sat there, staring at Mutou, mouth hanging open slightly while the other glared at him with an intensity that spoke volumes of hatred that he had never known before. He wasn't sure if he _wanted_ to know how long he stared, quite honestly. 

"Take your seats." Chono-sensei's voice, filled with fake, bubbling sweetness, cut through to snag his attention, and he shook his head quickly, turning his attention towards her as some of the students who were standing started to mill around to do as they were told. 

He noted, however, that Mutou had not. Instead, the other boy still stood, glaring at him. He once again suppressed the urge to shudder. 

"Mutou." The glare left Jounouchi as the other boy turned his attention to Chono-sensei. "Are you _deaf_?" Her voice was almost sickeningly sweet, a complete contrast to her words. He didn't reply, just looked at her coolly. "I said, take your seat." Her porcelain-like features seemed almost frozen, and her voice held a chilling bite. Still, Mutou did not move. She looked at him, raising a critical eyebrow. "Alright, then, Mutou. We'll play this the hard way." She stood, walking over to him. "On top of disrespecting your teacher, you are in violation of the school's uniform rules." Mutou still did not move a muscle, as far as Jounouchi could tell. He wished that he could see the other's face. 

Many of his classmates seemed to be holding their breath again, waiting for the response; they were disappointed to hear none. 

"_Mutou_," Chono-sensei hissed, "modification of your uniform in such a way is against the school's rules. You will take off that _choker_ and remove those things from your sleeves." He didn't make a move to do as he was told. "Mutou, you _will_ adjust your uniform to fit school regulations _immediately_." The class watched in fascination ... it was rare to see Chono-sensei lose her composure quite like this. 

Mutou's posture changed, hip jutting out slightly to the right as his right hand, pulled into a fist, rested against it. His voice, deeper than Jounouchi remembered ever hearing it being, sounded highly annoyed. "Woman, what are you bitching about?" Shocked gasps were heard echoing through a room that had suddenly turned deathly silent the moment that the words left his mouth, and all eyes were glued to Chono-sensei, waiting for her response. Jounouchi was almost positive that she was going to blow up at that statement. 

However, she just stood there, staring at Mutou, mouth opening and closing slowly, as though she were a fish out of water, grasping to a small shred of a lifeline. He had a feeling that she was attempting to formulate a response, but was merely unable to. The shock of Mutou responding to her in such a way was probably more than she could take ... she, the most egotistical teacher, the witch who expelled students on whim, being asked with such blatant irritation what she was 'bitching' about ... 

Jounouchi felt that it was the best form of poetic justice that he had ever seen in his life. 

She was still attempting to formulate an answer when Mutou turned on his heel, walking towards his desk, eyes locking onto Ushio, giving an even more deadly glare that he had given to Jounouchi as he paused, standing there. Jounouchi shivered slightly. _He's pissed. Ushio ... he probably did something to Mutou. That's what he does, bothers everyone. But for Mutou to get that pissed ... he looks positively livid. Or, well, his eyes do, anyway._ He frowned, just watching. _The look in his eyes ... it's like he's saying that Ushio is dead today._

He looked down at his desk, trying to break the spell that this new Mutou Yuugi seemed to have placed over him. 

_That's not possible. He wouldn't kill anyone._

He found his gaze sliding back over to Mutou. The glare was still there. 

_Would he?_

He forced himself to look away again. 

Those thoughts were getting the better of him. 

He couldn't let them. 

After all ... Mutou was just an ordinary student, an ordinary teenager, just like Jounouchi himself. Wasn't he? 

- - -

_**I can't believe you did that ...**_ Yuugi's voice rang through his head, and he grinned a little. He seemed really upset at what had happened in all of their classes; he had refused to adjust his uniform back to school standards each time he was asked, choosing, instead, to respond with impertinence as the teachers stood staring at him in shock. Each time, his classmates had been stunned into silence, utterly confused with his shifted, jarring attitude. 

It hadn't gotten him into too much trouble, until he had nearly run head-on into Kurita-sensei � on accident, of course � in the hallway. The encounter had ended very poorly for the spirit in control of Yuugi's body. His insolence had angered the teacher, who had always been a stickler for enforcing the rules of the school, especially if it would cause problems for the students in any way. As the spirit had refused to adjust his uniform, Kurita-sensei had gotten more and more angered; he had ended up sending 'Yuugi' to the principal's office for his disrespect and refusal to cooperate with school rules. 

_Why are you so upset about it, my partner?_

_**Are you crazy! The principal's office? That's going to go on our record. My grandfather will be told about it. I didn't want him to know about my problems here.**_

The spirit tried his best to soothe the other's nerves. _It will be fine, pretty one. I'm making the stand for you. I'm putting a stop to what they've done to you. I **will not** allow their rudeness towards you any longer._

_**You realize that being sent to the principal's office makes things a little worse.**_

_So I have problems with authority._ He smiled when he saw heard the laughter in his head. His life-giver seemed to be loosening up to the idea, at least. _It will be fine, my partner. They'll realize soon enough, you're not just someone to be walked over; **I'm** not someone to be walked over. I will not sit by like a docile dog. I will bite back._ Yuugi's worry hit him hard at hearing that. _It will be fine. Your life will be fine now._

He continued to walk through the hall, shifting where his backpack lay on his shoulder to alleviate some of the weight from falling in the same spot too badly. His expression seemed to keep most people away, or, perhaps, it was the way that he had seemed so unapproachable with each response he had given that day. 

He wasn't a fool. He knew that the look in his eyes promised death; even the color of his eyes seemed to promise certain doom. 

"Yuugi!" Someone came up behind him hurriedly; her voice seemed excited, happy, that she had found him, and he felt his spine stiffen as she managed to catch up and walk alongside him. "Yuugi, I'm so glad you're back." She smiled at him, blue eyes glimmering with happiness. "I was so worried; I couldn't find anything out about where you were, or what had happened to you. Your grandfather wasn't telling me anything at all." Her hand found its way onto his arm, and he paused as she did, looking into her eyes; tears seemed to shimmer within them. 

He raised an eyebrow. "So?" His voice was cold, uninviting. The girl flinched slightly. 

"I was just afraid that something terrible might have happened to you. I couldn't stand if something had." She made a face. "I heard Ushio talking about what he did to you," she said, voice full of venom as she said the thug's name. He felt his eyes narrow slightly. "I'm so sorry, Yuugi ... I wish I had been there with you. He wouldn't have been able to hurt you like that if I had been." 

"Why the hell would it matter to you?" he hissed out, and she flinched again. 

_**Anzu ...**_ Yuugi's voice sounded sad to the spirit. 

"Yuugi ...!" She looked hurt. "Yuugi, I know that I failed you by not being there, but �" 

"Just shut up. Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me _now_?" he sneered at her. "I come back after being absent for a few weeks, and suddenly you want to be my best friend? Why? Because of the mystery? Because I seem like some sort of enigma? I don't need that kind of _pity_ from someone like _you_." 

"Yuugi, what the hell has gotten into you!" 

"Don't pretend like you're some _saint_. Don't pretend like you ever actually cared, like you ever actually paid attention to me." He turned away, almost relishing in the way the girl seemed to break under his words. "Meaningless. People like you are meaningless, and always have been. You're transparent, and care only about what's the 'in' thing to do at any given time. You make me sick." 

He was not prepared for the sting that he suddenly felt in his cheek as his head snapped to the side. Her hand had connected with him in an angered slap. "What has gotten _into_ you, Yuugi? Why are you acting like this?" She seemed pissed now. "How could you say that to me? How could you say that I was never genuinely concerned for you? You've been my best friend for _years_! Of _course_ I was worried about you!" She grabbed the front of his shirt. "Who do you think _you_ are, treating me like some sort of air-headed bitch who only sees you as an interesting topic of discussion now that you've apparently changed so much!" 

_**Anzu, please don't ...**_

_Partner?_ He frowned, looking into her eyes. "What the fuck are you talking about, _Anzu_? I know what you're like. I know you never paid any attention to me in the past, so why should you now?" She shook him, angered, and he became more confused. 

"Never noticed you?" She blanched. "Who gave you the five Duel Monsters booster packs on your birthday, because they knew it's one of your favorite games? The moment I _saw_ you that day. Who always walked home with you and spent time with you on homework? Who always came to you for advice, and gave you advice? Who always sat with you at lunch, shared lunch with you?" A few tears fell from her eyes. "Why are you doing this, Yuugi? What did I do? Why do you hate me now?" 

He stared at her, shocked. _Partner ... what is this? Why is she ..._

_**She's my friend! The one person who has always been with me.**_

He frowned, sending his confusion to his life-giver. _But ... why can't I find anything about any friends, pretty one?_ He reached up and touched one of her hands. "Anzu ..." 

"Why, Yuugi? What did I do wrong?" She pulled away, not looking at him. "Is it just because I wasn't there on your birthday, to walk home with you? Is it because Ushio got to you because I wasn't there?" She shook her head. "I wanted to kill him when I heard about it. I wanted to hurt him so badly, because he had hurt you ... _you_, the one person who had ever bothered to even try to understand me." 

"Forgive me ..." he whispered. "I don't know what came over me." It was a lie, of course; he knew exactly what had come over him. He didn't remember who she was; it was as simple as that. Of course he would lash out at her ... the book of his beloved life-giver's memories didn't seem to have anything about her that was readily available. _Why wasn't she in there, partner?_

Yuugi seemed to be thinking of how to respond. _**I ... I think because I've been trying to get over things. I ...**_ He paused, sending a gentle wave of love to the spirit. _**I used to really like her ... you know, in the sense of wanting to be with her. I always knew it wouldn't work. We were friends, the best of friends. I didn't want to hurt her like that, by letting her know I'd had a crush on her. Anzu has enough problems with guys going at her only for her looks ... I didn't want her to think that I, her best friend, was something like them.**_

_So you tried to forget about it completely, in order to save her._ He smiled gently, both out of pride and love for Yuugi, and to try to comfort Anzu. _You truly are amazing, my partner. You put those you care for above yourself. _There was no response, and he turned his attention to Anzu again. "Anzu ..." 

"What happened, Yuugi? Where were you?" She seemed so concerned, almost as though her whole life depended upon his response. 

"I ... don't know," he whispered. "I don't know what happened. I only woke up a few days ago. My grandfather was there with me, in the hospital, but he hasn't told me much." He was lying again, but he couldn't tell her the truth. The only one who should know the truth was his life-giver, no matter how close he might be to someone else. 

She looked at him, eyebrow raised; it was obvious that she was skeptical of what he was saying. It probably didn't help matters any that, if anyone knew Yuugi, she did. So many of his little secrets, exactly how he looked ... 

"Not buying it, Yuugi. What's with your eyes? Your whole _attitude_?" She looked at him closely. "You're a completely different person." 

"Am I?" He frowned, looking down at himself. "I ... don't really know, Anzu." He sounded as confused as he possibly could. "I have no idea what happened." 

She sighed, dropping the subject. "Alright, whatever ... we'll figure that out later, then, I guess." He looked at Anzu again, raising an eyebrow. "Together, we can manage it, I'm sure." She smiled reassuringly. 

"Thanks ..." 

"So, um ... what should we do about Ushio, anyway? For what he did to you." 

He raised an eyebrow, holding back his smile as he heard Yuugi chuckle. "Oh, don't worry about that, Anzu ... I'm sure I can come up with something to deal with him." 

Anzu looked at him skeptically as he smirked ... however, she didn't voice her thoughts on the matter. After all ... it would be pointless to anger him again. 

- - -

He seemed really smug that day. No one was really able to place just why, but there was something to Mutou Yuugi's expression that just screamed out to them, 'I did something to be proud of.' It didn't make sense. 

He knew that they were talking about him; whispers sounded in his wake whenever he passed by any group in the hallway. He loved it, reveled in it, even. He was someone that they just could not help but notice. 

_**You're enjoying yourself way too much, you know.**_ He held back a chuckle as the voice sounded through his head. His partner had been rather subdued since the previous night ... he knew why, but he didn't think that the concern was founded in any way. 

_You know I had to do it, life-giver._ He turned into the classroom. _He deserved it._

_**Not that ...**_

He didn't respond as he practically glided towards his desk, sliding into the seat almost as though he were the wind. Eyes turned to him, and he heard more faint whispers around him. 

"Did you hear about Ushio?" someone whispered somewhere to his left. 

"He's in the hospital, right?" 

He smirked a bit, ducking his head down. It wouldn't do to let everyone see such a vindictive look on his face, after all � he had to maintain his innocence in such a situation. He didn't want anyone to associate him with what had happened to Ushio; not yet, anyway. 

He felt eyes on him, and his spine stiffened as he heard someone whisper, "You don't think ..." 

"Honda, I'm sure it's only a coincidence that Ushio ended up in the hospital last night. Just because Mutou just got back to school yesterday doesn't mean that he had anything to do with it." 

"So defensive about him, aren't you?" There was a pause, and a small chuckle in response. "You have to admit, the coincidence is kind of creepy, though." 

He forced himself to not listen in on them; it was rude to eavesdrop, after all. He smiled a bit to himself, looking down at the desk. _At least no one can ever do that to us, my partner._

_**Do what?**_

_Eavesdrop._ There was a pause, and he heard Yuugi chuckle softly in his head as a response. _Are you still mad at me, my partner? I didn't mean to upset you, you know that._

_**I could never stay mad at you for long, I think,**_ came the simple response. _**You mean too much to me. You're my other self ... the other part to my soul. Maybe you're the one person who I was meant to be with.**_

_A soul mate, you mean?_ He enjoyed the sensation of Yuugi snuggling against him that suddenly swept through him. He knew how much he meant to the boy, and he would be a fool not to admit that he was sure that Yuugi meant just as much to him. It was an interesting situation, owing his existence to another person the way that he owed his to Yuugi currently. _I understand what you mean, I think. You mean the world to me._ Gratitude washed over him, almost as though Yuugi had been afraid that he wouldn't respond in that way. 

_**Why did you do that to him, my other self?**_

_He hurt you,_ he replied simply, ignoring those around him in favor of the boy he shared a body with. _I promised you that I would take care of things for you. I will not let those who hurt you get away with it. I will make them pay for everything that they have done to you._

_**I know ...**_ Yuugi sounded almost upset with his response. _**It's just ... you're so protective. Almost too protective.**_

_I owe everything to you._ He heard a soft sigh as a response to his words. He wasn't lying, and he was sure that Yuugi knew that; however, it wasn't the whole truth, either. There was more to it, much more. He couldn't quite grasp why he felt such a need to protect Yuugi the way that he was, but something about the way that he felt for the boy almost seemed to require it. Yuugi had wormed his way into his heart so fully, and he wanted to give him everything. A perfect life, where no one could ever harm him again. 

"Is it true that he was babbling about monsters and money?" The whispered question cut through his concentration like a hot knife through butter. He remained silent, however, as more glances were tossed in his direction; people were apparently wondering just how much Mutou Yuugi's strange, new attitude had to do with the sudden insanity of the school's most notorious bully, if anything at all. 

Still, he said nothing. It would be stupid to incriminate himself, after all. 

He looked towards the door as Anzu walked in, noting her shocked expression as she looked over towards him. She seemed as though she was trying to figure something out, perhaps put the situation together properly; she didn't want to believe that her best friend had something to do with Ushio's hospitalization, he figured. Even if his words to her the day before did lead all roads to point to him. 

He looked away again. 

Yes, he had been the one responsible for Ushio's hospitalization, though, he was sure no one would believe him if he were to state it as so. Gossip worked that way; it was just a way for people to get things off of their chest, but, often, they didn't truly believe everything that was being said. Yes, eyes would turn to him curiously, but it wasn't so much for the fact that they were accusing him as it was them trying to figure out just what the correlation between his return and Ushio's disappearance was. 

He knew that, even if his partner did not. Yuugi seemed very uncomfortable with the entire situation. He frowned slightly to himself. Some of Yuugi's classmates looked at him curiously, before shrugging and attributing it to him not liking what he was hearing from them. Most figured that he was iffy about hearing anything about the hospital when he had just been released from one not too long ago. 

Yuugi had asked him to stop the night before. He had found Ushio and challenged him to a deadly game. Money had been strewn about for the bully's pleasure; looking through Yuugi's memory book again had provided him with that information. Ushio had demanded money out of Yuugi fairly often before beating him up. No matter how much money Yuugi would give him, the thug wouldn't let him off the hook unless Anzu had been there, however. 

Seeing that had made the spirit see red. He couldn't stand those who tricked others into thinking that they had a chance to escape from punishment, only to show them that mercy was not going to be shown to them, regardless of what they did. 

His life-giver had been so brave to stand his ground. He could not deny that. 

Still, he could not forgive Ushio for what he had done to Yuugi. The rules had been simple. 

The thug would have to get as much of the money he could, without the monsters closing in on him. The other had scoffed when he'd heard that term. Monsters, of all things. Something that only existed in fairy tales, he had said. Something that only someone as childish and girlish as Yuugi would still believe in. 

He had smirked at the thug and told him that, if he did not fear what would happen, then, perhaps he should just try his luck. The other had not even glanced around himself as he walked into the course, followed by the spirit within Yuugi's body. He would be participating, as well, of course. 

He didn't mention that the monsters were unlikely to ever touch him, however. They knew their own master very well. 

The game hadn't been fair, in that sense; however, it was no worse than what Ushio had done in the past. He had told himself that the thug deserved every second of it. 

Yuugi had continued to object to the entire idea, but had quieted when the spirit had sent his affection for the boy to him. He knew that the spirit had only been doing it in his name ... to protect him. To bring Ushio to justice for what had been done to him. 

The screams from Ushio as he noticed that there really were monsters in the shadows had been delicious to him. The teenager had run, eventually backing himself into a corner. 

Yuugi's shudders within his soul room had reached the spirit very powerfully as he realized what was going to happen. That was perhaps the only thing that had kept him from letting the monsters do whatever they wanted to the brute. 

The soft whimpers had grown, and Yuugi had pleaded with him to not let Ushio die. It wasn't how things were done now, the boy had said. 

He had listened, although he hadn't wanted to. At the last possible second, when Ushio's mind had already broken from what he had been seeing, he had called the monsters off, commanding them to return to their resting place in the shadows. 

Yuugi hadn't spoken to him for the rest of the night. In fact, it had taken him the entire trip to school just to coax Yuugi into speaking to him again. It had hurt him to see his beautiful life-giver so afraid of him. It was not what he had wanted to do; he had expected Yuugi to be happy with what he had done. 

_Perhaps,_ he mused, _I don't know you as much as I would like to think._

_**There's an understatement ...**_ He felt the sensation of Yuugi clamping his hands over his mouth, and realized that he hadn't meant to actually 'speak' the words to him. _**I'm sorry ...**_ His apology sent a new wave of emotion over the spirit ... guilt. 

_You have no reason to apologize,_ he sent back, looking up as the teacher walked into the room. A quick glare was sent at him as the teacher noticed that he had refused to remove his uniform modifications, and, instead, had been audacious enough to add to them; a leather belt, tilted just so on his hip over the pants, and Yuugi's puzzle strung around his neck. He smirked. 

As the teacher turned away to begin teaching the class, the whispers slowly died down. Eyes continued to flicker towards the empty seat where Ushio normally sat, but, otherwise, the class was normal. 

As normal as it could be under the circumstances, anyway. 

- - -

"My other self ...?" 

"Yes, partner?" He shifted his hold on the boy in his arms, looking at him worriedly. They had been standing there silently for a while, Yuugi's face buried into his shoulder as though he never wanted to move from that position, even if the world were to end. It had been a method of comfort, something that he was more than willing to provide for his life-giver. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern showing in crimson eyes. 

"I ... it's just ..." He sighed, violet eyes downcast. "It feels like I'm being rude, in a way. You know so much about me, and you keep wanting to know more, but I ..." He bit his lip, pressing himself closer again, body craving the embrace of the other. "I haven't bothered to even ask anything about you." 

He laughed softly. "Is that all it is?" He smiled reassuringly as Yuugi looked up at him in confusion. "Alright, then ..." He pulled away some, taking Yuugi's hand as he started for the bed, happy with the fact that Yuugi's soul room had taken on the form of his bedroom. It had provided them with enough areas to just hold each other comfortably. "What would you like to know?" he inquired, sitting down and pulling Yuugi into his lap. The teenager blushed some. 

"I ... I'm not really sure." He looked into crimson eyes, as though searching for the answers to all of his questions and problems. "I guess, mainly, I want to know who you are." He blushed again. "I mean, I know that you said that I should think of you as another extension of myself, and I do. It's nice to think of you that way, really. But ... I feel like I'm doing a disservice to you by thinking of you only as my other self. I should know who you are. You do have your own identity, really." 

There was a pause, and they looked into each other's eyes silently. Violet held questions that required answers, and a refusal to give up in this quest for knowledge; crimson held a reluctance to answer those questions. Eventually, the spirit's eyes softened, and he sighed; a tension-breaker, more than anything. "Alright." Yuugi snuggled against him again, smiling as the spirit got more comfortable. He shivered as Yuugi's lips pressed against his neck. "You might not like everything that you hear, my partner," he warned. 

Yuugi kissed his other self's neck again, whispering against the smooth skin, "As long as I know about you, even just a little bit, I'll be happy." His voice sounded almost distant, and the spirit realized what was happening; Yuugi was allowing himself to fall into a state of bliss at being so close to him. He smiled at the shorter teenager. 

"I lived a long time ago ... nearly three thousand years ago, from what I've been able to figure, in Kemet." He paused, as though thinking. Yuugi pulled back and looked at him, realizing that the other was looking through the 'book' of his memories again. "Ah," he said at last. "Ancient Egypt, you would call it now." He smiled as Yuugi nestled against him again. "I lived what would be called a very good life, really. Well, better than most in that time, anyway" 

"Mm, why's that?" The voice was muffled as Yuugi's face became buried against his shoulder again. 

He laughed softly. "I was considered a god then, my little one." He looked at Yuugi levelly as the boy pulled back and stared at him in shock, a question in his eyes; he nodded. "Yes, I was the Pharaoh of Kemet." His expression became amused. "The puzzle that you were so intent on finishing had actually been mine once. It was a container of power ... perhaps a medium to my power." 

"Power?" Yuugi looked very interested now. He smiled at seeing that. 

"Yes." He chuckled as Yuugi seemed to grow impatient with anticipation. "I'm sure you must have figured some of it out by now. Last night should have been a hint at it, in any event." He drew small, comforting circles along Yuugi's back as the boy seemed to tense some at the mention of the previous night. "Shh ..." he whispered. "I'm sorry, my life-giver. I should have asked first, I suppose, but he did deserve punishment. I promise that I will not do something like that without running it by you first." Yuugi seemed to calm. 

"So ... last night should have ... been a hint?" Yuugi's eyebrows furrowed as he seemed to think on what the former pharaoh could possibly mean by that. "Power. Well, last night, there were those strange monsters," he said, frowning. "I'm not quite sure what to make of any of that, though. I mean, how did you make those monsters appear, and ... and how did they obey you so easily?" 

"They remember their master at all times," he said simply, fingers running through Yuugi's hair. "But that's perhaps a story for another day." He laughed softly as Yuugi whined at hearing that. "As for how I made them appear, that's part of my power." 

"Magic ..." Yuugi breathed out. 

"Yes." His smile grew as Yuugi's eyes seemed to grow. 

"Thank you." He raised an eyebrow at the boy, who simply smiled at him brilliantly; it was a smile that could light even the darkest of rooms. "For telling me this. I ... I'm glad that you've let me in on this bit of insight." 

"I haven't told you very much at all," he interjected. 

"But it's enough for now." Yuugi wrapped his arms around the former pharaoh's neck, shifting closer almost imperceptibly. "I don't want you to tell me everything all at once. What will you tell me later on if you let me know all of it right now, after all?" They laughed together, faces leaning closer each passing moment. "Pharaoh ... my ... my other self ..." His voice was barely a whisper as they stopped moving closer, lips barely a hair's width away from touching. "Kiss me ... please ..." 

The soft wave of excitement and contentment that washed over him as he obliged his partner's request was intoxicating in ways that he had never dreamed of. _This is what it's like, then ..._ he mused, pulling back some from the gentle kiss and reaching a hand up to cup Yuugi's cheek. _This is what it means to have someone that you love._ His thumb brushed over the other's lips gently, and Yuugi shivered. _The other half to my soul; the one person who can never be torn from me. The person who was made for me._

Yuugi smiled at him, shifting closer still. "I've never felt like this before," he admitted. "There's something about you ... it just ..." 

"Takes away all other thoughts." 

"Yes." 

"I feel the same, my partner." He pressed their lips together again. The kiss was deeper this time, and Yuugi whimpered softly into it, lips parting in a silent invitation. He couldn't help but accept the temptation, his tongue pressing into the small opening, teasingly flicking against Yuugi's own. Another whimper, and he chuckled, pulling back. "Perhaps we're moving too fast for you," he said, amused. Yuugi pouted at him. "I want this to be perfect for you, my partner. No regrets." 

"What are you thinking of, love?" The words slipped from Yuugi's lips before he even realized what he was saying. As the former pharaoh looked at him with an eyebrow raised, he clamped his hand over his mouth, blushing. 

"Love, hm?" He smiled at the boy in his arms. "I'm thinking that this is the most comfortable that I have ever been. That this is the one place that I never want to leave." He ran his fingers through Yuugi's hair again. "I'm thinking that I don't want to ever be without you." 

Yuugi's hand dropped, that brilliant, bright smile shining at him again. "I was thinking the same thing," he admitted shyly. He threw himself at his other self again, holding on as though his life depended on it. "I never want to be without you. I never want to lose you. I never want you taken from me." 

"I won't leave you. Not ever." He kissed Yuugi's cheek. "I promise." Yuugi's soft sigh of gratification tickled his neck. "I'll tell you one other thing about myself, little one." 

Yuugi pulled back, scrunching his nose at the title that the former pharaoh had used again before cocking his head slightly to the side. "What's that?" 

"My name." Yuugi blushed at that, a bit surprised that the former pharaoh offered the information without him needing to ask for it. He leaned in, lips brushing against Yuugi's ear, and he grinned to himself before nibbling lightly on the soft skin. The most adorable squeak reached his ears, and he chuckled very softly. "Atemu," he whispered. 

"Huh?" 

"That's my name, Yuugi." He pulled back again, looking into Yuugi's eyes. A soft blush was again setting itself onto Yuugi's cheeks, and he smiled. His fingers again found themselves in Yuugi's soft hair, and the boy pulled himself closer again, head resting on Atemu's chest as he was forced backwards onto the bed. He laughed again. "You're quite the cuddler, aren't you?" A soft swat to his arm, and he laughed once more. 

"I'm just happy," came the soft reply. "I never imagined that I would learn all of this tonight." Yuugi shifted, placing a kiss on his other self's neck again. "It means so much to me," he whispered. "Thank you." 

"I would tell you anything you wish to know, my partner," Atemu responded, fingers still playing in Yuugi's hair. "I could never keep anything from you." His hand left the other's hair, instead wandering down to his back, rubbing gentle, indescribable patterns there. Yuugi sighed again, relaxing into the touch. 

"I'm glad you went to bed early, then," he said, voice betraying his smile. 

"As am I." 

They held each other closer, both silent, just enjoying each other's presence as the night continued outside of the body that they shared. They were both oblivious to it; the outside world no longer mattered to them for the night. Just being with each other, right there, right then, was all that they needed. 

They fell asleep, still holding each other, some hours later. Yuugi was content, as he hadn't been in a long while, knowing that, no matter what happened in the outside world, his other self would deal with it perfectly for him. 

- - -

**Disclaimer:** Yuugiou is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. I do not claim any right to the series or its characters, and I should probably apologize for the hell I'm likely to be putting them through in this story. 


	3. Chapter 3: Trap

**If the World Doesn't Want Me**   
Trap   
by Josie

The preparations for the spring semester festival had started that day; their class had brainstormed during homeroom to come up with ideas for what they could do. Most suggestions were tossed off as 'too immature' or 'too degrading.' The girls in the class had especially protested to one of the boys jokingly suggesting that they open up a kissing booth as their class's contribution to the festival. 

He had barely been able to keep himself from laughing when Anzu had stood up and yelled at the blonde � Yuugi had identified him as Jounouchi when Atemu had looked at the other teenager with disinterest - who had been in charge of accumulating the ideas. He had been the one who had made the joking suggestion. 

His response had been that Anzu could be the first girl to sit at the booth. She had nearly jumped over her desk to punch him. 

_She's defensive about that, isn't she ..._ he had thought, and Yuugi had chuckled softly for his benefit. 

_**She hates guys who only look at girls as objects.**_ There was a pause, and he felt Yuugi pressing against the front of his mind more; it seemed that he was interested in these preparations. _**Ironically, that's the kind of person her family would love her to be with; someone who looks at her like a trophy, and smothers her dreams.**_

He smiled as Anzu looked at Jounouchi and told him, "If you think that you have any right to objectify us for your own simple pleasures, then you obviously have a _lot_ to learn about how to treat a woman. You're no better than a cheap drunk looking for a quick thrill." 

Jounouchi's spine seemed to stiffen, and his friend, a brunette with his hair fashioned into a thick, pointed spike � Honda, Yuugi had pointed out � put a hand on the blonde's chest, stating, "Alright, that's enough with the insults. We'll just toss that idea out, alright." He seemed to be pushing Jounouchi back some, giving him an understanding, but firm, look right in the eyes. 

Jounouchi slowly relaxed, turning his face away, muttering, "God, it was just a joke, Mazaki." Anzu sat back down. 

"How about a dance marathon!" one of the other girls in the class piped up. Atemu noticed Anzu perk up some in her seat; she obviously liked _that_ idea. 

"How many people will really want to spend so long dancing, though," one of the boys interjected. The girl who had made the suggestion and Anzu both seemed to slump down in their seats. 

"Entertainment does seem like a good way to go," he muttered; apparently, he had spoken louder than he had expected, as all eyes turned on him. 

"What was that, Mutou?" Jounouchi stared straight at him, moving forward some; it was almost as though he hadn't expected to hear a suggestion from him. He started to step around the teacher's desk, moving closer to him, making his way to stand right in front of his desk. "What did you say?" 

He glared up at the teenager, crimson eyes gleaming with annoyance. "Entertainment," he practically ground out. "Or do you have a problem with getting up in front of people to give them something to enjoy?" He raised an eyebrow at the blonde, who seemed to get frustrated; he knew that someone like this would not be too adverse to the idea. After all, he was so focused on his popular position. "Maybe not a dance marathon, as the guys here seem to be so against it, but ..." his voice trailed off as he paused to think, looking through Yuugi's memories again, trying to find something that could work in his favor. "Perhaps a concert." He smirked as whispers began to sound at the idea. 

"A concert ...?" Honda seemed interested. "Would that really work, though?" 

"It could," someone else said. "We can hold auditions for it, too! That way, we can choose the best people for each job, and everyone else will be behind the scenes, making sure things work out properly." 

"Like sound technicians, and lighting technicians!" 

"And stage dancers," Anzu said, eyes glowing some. Yuugi laughed within Atemu's head. 

_**She's really excited about that,**_ he pointed out, 'voice' full of mirth. _**It's like a dream come true for her; a chance for her to do something towards her aspiration to go to New York and become a dancer there.**_

_Understandable,_ he responded, enjoying how happy Yuugi seemed to see his closest friend so excited. He looked at Jounouchi levelly. "We could charge some admission to cover our costs, as well. Nothing too much, but something." 

"If we get a good enough group together, we'd probably make a pretty decent profit," the blonde agreed. He seemed almost surprised with himself to be agreeing so readily with someone who no one had ever really seemed to pay attention to. 

He leaned back in his chair as Jounouchi started back to the front of the room, not listening too closely as the students chattered on about the concert that they could put on. Everyone seemed so very excited about it, making preparations for auditions, deciding just what positions they would need for their band. The excitement and productivity was, in a way, truly amazing. However, it didn't seem important enough to really merit his attention. 

He was much more worried about the boy who he shared his body with. Yuugi was practically humming with excitement over the festival; especially with the idea of a concert, it seemed like it would be a good source of entertainment for him to watch on during. 

Atemu smiled to himself, pleased with the fact that he had come up with something to keep his partner happy. 

- - -

_Why am I here?_ His mental voice sounded highly annoyed as he glared at the students sitting around, waiting for their chance to be heard. _I never said I wanted to have this much to do with this production._

_**It was your idea, Atemu ...**_ his partner's calming voice had said. _**Besides, what's the harm in a simple audition, anyway?**_ Of course, he knew the answer before he had even asked the question; he just wanted to hear his other self tell him in his own words just why he was so against it. 

_Because that rat is forcing me into this!_ His thoughts were practically growled, and Yuugi was immediately pressing against him with calming, soothing emotions. He knew that he should keep his cool; Yuugi didn't like it when he was so angry. 

_**It's just an audition. There's no strings attached to it,**_ he said, trying to reason with the irate former pharaoh. _**Please do this, my other self? For me?**_

He frowned, looking very unapproachable to the other students. Those who were looking at him curiously turned away; all except one, anyway. Jounouchi was still watching him, a victorious smirk on his lips. 

Oh, but how he wanted to rip that smirk right off of him. _For you? Why do you want to see me audition so badly?_

_**I want to know how you sound ...**_ He got the distinct impression that Yuugi would be blushing if he were visible at that moment. His expression softened some as he sent wave of gentle affection at the boy. 

_For you, then. Just so you can hear,_ he responded, as though it were the most reasonable thing in the world. Once again, he realized that he would likely do anything that Yuugi wanted him to, just to bring him all of the joy that he deserved. 

Happiness bubbled over him as Yuugi seemed to snuggle up against him again. How he loved that sensation. 

"Mutou." Jounouchi smirked at him again. "Your turn." He glared at the blonde as he coolly stood, almost strutting towards the front of the room. He matched the blonde's smirk easily, with one that was perhaps more cold and fear-inducing. Jounouchi shuddered. 

He looked at the teenager coldly, then looked over his shoulder at the students still sitting. He quickly flipped through Yuugi's memories for a song, smirking as he found one that would work nicely for the occasion of his trial. _Well, if I don't have a choice in doing this, I might as well blow them away,_ he thought smugly. He felt Yuugi's interest at the statement as he turned away from Jounouchi. "Just start whenever, then?" 

"That would be smart." 

It started almost too low for anyone to really notice; Jounouchi and Honda barely held back snickers at the fact that, perhaps, they had found just the thing to knock this 'new Mutou' down a bit. The way to embarrass him, as it were. 

Their breath caught in their throats as the sound grew in volume, a rich baritone like none they had heard before. All eyes were on him, and he knew it; he reveled in the feeling. Being the center of attention was nothing new to him. No, on the contrary, if anything, this was exactly where he belonged. All eyes should be on him, worshiping his abilities. 

Exactly as it had been three thousand years earlier, where, no matter what he had done, everyone had said that it was the absolute picture of perfection. 

Shivers found their way down spines as he continued to sing. 

"Mutou ..." The whisper was barely audible, but he caught it. Still, he did not stop, knowing that Yuugi's classmates were caught in what was almost an unbreakable spell at the sound of his voice. Some seemed to be gripping the desks in front of them as though their lives depended on it ... it seemed as though they feared they might just float up in bliss if they didn't hold on for all that they were worth. 

The power that he held over them was invigorating. He hadn't felt anything like it in so long. It wasn't a sort of sick sensation of the dark power that came with holding someone's life in his hands, but more the mystifying power that came with having so many lusting for him. And knowing that they could never have him, because his heart belonged so fully to someone already. 

It was a perfect sort of beauty. 

Eyes closed as he continued to sing, his haunting voice filling the senses of the other students. 

He already knew what they weren't stopping him to voice: he was the one that they would select to sing for them. There were no others to audition, and none who had gone before him had this kind of hold over their audience. _Even those two fools seem at a loss for words,_ he mused. 

_**I can't blame them ...**_ Yuugi's thoughts sounded as though he were breathless. 

"That ..." The whisper came just as his voice died away, and he turned to face Jounouchi with a raised eyebrow. "That was amazing ..." Brown eyes stared at him, wide in shock. "Mutou, I never imagined ... you're just ..." 

"Perfect for the role ... I've never heard anything like that," Honda finished for him. Jounouchi looked as though he both wanted to kill the brunette for taking the words out of his mouth, and yet thank him at the same time. 

"I've never felt anything like that," one of the female students said, green eyes opening slowly as she stared at him in wonder from where she sat. "Mutou-kun, you're so amazing! Your voice is so spectacular. Everything you sang, I felt it." 

"I felt like I was in a whole different world, and each word from your mouth painted another piece of it." 

"It was unreal." 

He raised an eyebrow at them before shrugging. He enjoyed the flattery, of course, but it was getting to be too much, he felt. "It's not all that much," he said simply. "It's not as though my singing would make the difference in life or death, after all." 

"It was stunning, though," Jounouchi said, just to his left. "You'll do it, right? For the festival, I mean." 

Atemu hesitated ... Yuugi had said that there were no strings attached to his audition, and yet now they were saying that they wanted him to be their singer. It was more than he had bargained for. 

_**Please, my other self. I want to hear more, and ...**_ Yuugi paused, his admiration floating over Atemu's entire being. _**I'd feel so selfish, if only I were to hear your voice as you sing. With you singing, they're sure to be successful.**_

That sealed his fate. How could he refuse when Yuugi wished him to do as he was asked? "If you wish," he said plainly, turning to walk from the room. He didn't look behind himself as he left, but knew ... all eyes were still on him. They were all still transfixed in the spell that songs always tended to create. 

- - -

He was walking Anzu home, so as to discuss what had occurred that day with her. She had wanted to know exactly what had happened with his audition; she herself had been busy with her own audition to be a stage dancer. 

"I still can't believe they did that to you," she said as they turned a corner. "I mean ... just to put you on the spot, an attempt to embarrass you. Who do they think they are?" Her opinion of Jounouchi and Honda was very obvious by the tone in her voice. 

"It wasn't all that bad, really ..." he replied. "I mean, I was annoyed with the situation. They didn't give me any choice in the matter. It was all, 'Mutou, you audition, grr.' But, the audition itself was okay." He smiled as Yuugi laughed in his mind, just as Anzu laughed beside him. 

"What exactly happened in there?" She turned to look at him, eyes showing her curiosity. "Everyone seemed so stunned when they walked out of there ... even the two attached-at-the-hip popularity kings." She raised an eyebrow. "What did you do, Yuugi? Strip or something?" 

He laughed, the first true and good laugh he'd had in three millennia, excepting any laughter that Yuugi had caused; crimson eyes sparkled with his mirth. "Strip? No. Do I really look like I'm likely to ever strip for people like _them_?" Anzu chuckled in response. "No, apparently they just expected me to be a really terrible singer." 

"And then you blew them away with your stunning voice," she said, voice vaguely distant. He looked at her skeptically. "Oh, come on, Yuugi, you know I've always loved hearing you sing. You're good enough to be a star if you wanted to be." 

_**She ... really?**_ Yuugi seemed shocked, and a bit excited, at the prospect of Anzu liking his singing. Atemu felt a twinge of jealousy towards her, but only for a moment. First crushes, he knew, were difficult to get over. 

_You sound surprised, my partner._

_**She just never said anything about that. Actually, I really never thought she heard me when I would sing.**_ He sounded embarrassed. _**I didn't really sing very loudly in front of her ... kind of whispered, really.**_

_Am I to assume that I'm not the only one who would have blown those idiots away, then?_ he asked teasingly. _Perhaps I should have you sing for me some day._ He held his chuckle in check as Yuugi's embarrassment at the suggestion assaulted him. "Anzu," he started, "you never told me that you like my singing." She looked confused as he spoke, but he shook his head. "Thank you, though." 

"I only speak the truth, you know." She poked him teasingly. "So, tell me what that blonde oaf's face looked like when he realized that he'd made a huge mistake trying to embarrass you by making you sing." Her eyes shone with amusement. "I want to envision just how stupid he must have felt." 

"Anzu, really!" he replied. "How unladylike of you." They both laughed some at the statement; Atemu had managed to pry some information from Yuugi regarding Anzu, and he knew that she wasn't the 'perfect lady.' Never afraid to stand up for her beliefs, she tended to enjoy seeing people who degraded others be thrown down as much as possible. After all, they deserved it. Atemu had found himself enjoying her outlook on the matter very much; it fit in very nicely with his own. 

"Oh, come on, spill!" 

_**Geez, you two really are a perfect fit, aren't you? You're both so amused by people like Jounouchi and Honda getting what's coming to them,**_ Yuugi mused. His mental voice seemed a mix of humor and desperation. _**I can just see where things are going to go for 'me.'**_

Atemu chose not to answer, instead describing in detail exactly how dumbstruck Jounouchi had been upon hearing him. She stopped him often, asking for more detail in order to get a more vivid visualization of the blonde's slack-jawed, awestruck, and even idolizing face from hearing 'Yuugi' sing. She giggled often, her attitude very light. Atemu couldn't help but realize just why Yuugi had been so drawn to her friendship; she was so very open with her emotions, her feelings, and yet was also so very willing to listen to him as he spoke. It was something that Yuugi's life was so desperately lacking. Of course it would mean the world to him. 

Finally, he finished his description, and Anzu's snickering at the thought of Jounouchi's amazement began to quiet down; she wiped tears from her eyes, formed by her laughter. "Oh my god ... that was just beautiful." 

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Atemu with no idea just how to start a conversation in this time; Yuugi didn't seem ready to jump into the fray to give him any ideas very quickly, either, which was a little confusing to him. _What's wrong, my partner?_

_**Hm ...?**_ Exhaustion hit Atemu like a brick wall, and he realized immediately exactly what the problem was. 

_I'm sorry, I haven't let you rest very much lately, have I?_ He sent some positive, soothing touches to Yuugi's spirit, and felt Yuugi curl up contentedly. _You should rest, my love. We can talk more later._ He smiled softly as Yuugi sent a mumbled reply before falling completely silent. "Anzu?" 

"Huh? Yeah?" She stopped, looking at him. "What's up?" 

"You know, you never told me how your dance audition went." He looked at her carefully as she became very silent, as though she were thinking about just how to explain things. He waited, not too worried about the silence; he knew that she would answer, and, while he waited, he could enjoy the gentle feel of Yuugi resting within him. 

She closed her eyes, a smile teasing her lips. "They tried to scare me with it. 'Oh my god, Mazaki, you don't really want to do that. The boys are all going to be watching,' they started saying. They kept snickering about it, too." She smirked as her eyes opened again. "And then they all shut the hell up when I told them that the _boys_ could watch if they wanted, but they might want to stay back, lest they fall out of step in keeping up." Atemu laughed at her words. 

"You're lead dancer, aren't you?" 

"They couldn't keep up, apparently." She laughed. "They were all so surprised by it. Yamamoto couldn't believe that I had danced circles around him ... hell, his fans couldn't believe it, either." She frowned darkly. "So he tried to trip me mid-step. He cheated, and Hinata-san told him to get out, because she wouldn't take that kind of attitude in the auditions." 

"Want me to deal with Yamamoto?" She turned a stunned gaze on him, not quite sure how to respond to his question. 

She looked at him before asking very slowly, "Yuugi ... Ushio wasn't ... I mean, you didn't have anything to do with that, did you?" 

"Do I look like I could drive someone insane?" he deadpanned. Anzu didn't answer for a few moments, but then shook her head; her eyes were still skeptical, however. "It's just a mere coincidence that he snapped that night, I'd say." 

"Yeah, I know. Doesn't keep people from talking, though," she said sullenly. "I wish they would just shut up about it. How could they accuse you of such a thing?" 

_How indeed ..._ Yuugi stirred at his thought, and Atemu sent another gentle, soothing touch at him to get him to settle back into his rest. "Let them talk. That's all it is, anyway." 

"I know. It's just annoying to see hear them make those accusations." She turned towards a walkway, then turned back around with a smile. "Thanks for walking me here, Yuugi. It's nice not having to walk alone, you know?" He nodded, and Anzu turned back to the walkway. "You're sure you don't want to come in for a bit?" she asked over her shoulder. 

"I'm sure ... I should probably get home, really. My grandfather must be worried." 

"Can't blame him there. He's probably still freaked out over what happened to you." 

Atemu watched as Anzu walked to and then opened the front door of her house; he turned once she had gone in and closed the door, walking slowly on the way back to the game shop that Yuugi's grandfather owned. He had no reason to rush, really; Yuugi was resting soundly, so he wasn't going to be going into the teenager's soul room to talk with him for a while. He would wait until Yuugi woke up to do that. 

As he walked, he sent more soothing feelings to Yuugi, aiding his rest and keeping his partner content. He walked leisurely, enjoying the weather; it wasn't quite like that of Egypt, he noted, but it was as close as he was going to get where he was now. For now, it would just have to work, he decided as he got closer to Yuugi's home. 

- - -

"I love you." His voice was barely a whisper as he stroked blonde bangs away from a pale face with reverence. "I'm not quite sure why, but I do." He smiled to himself as the boy shifted in his sleep for a moment before curling around him. Yuugi was absolutely perfect in sleep; neither lines of worry nor a frown marred his young features. Atemu smiled at him, just watching. 

He supposed that Yuugi might be upset to know that he was already in here, just watching him, but he truly didn't have much else to do; dinner had been finished for well over an hour, and he didn't much care for the homework that had to be completed. Granted, he probably should have been worried about it, as his attention should have been on fixing Yuugi's life first and foremost, but it didn't seem important. Or, at least, it did not seem as important as the teenager that was currently wrapped around him in the room of the boy's soul. 

His fingers brushed through the golden bangs again, and he watched as a gentle smile slid into place on Yuugi's lips. He was content, comforted; Atemu felt something within himself jump at the sight. 

He had spent much of the past hour in silent contemplation over what Yuugi had said to him earlier that day; the boy had wanted to hear him sing. In fact, that had been the only reason that Atemu had ended up going through with the audition: Yuugi had asked him to. It had been confusing to him at first, however. _Why had it meant so much to me? Why had I been so intent on granting Yuugi that wish?_ He frowned, noting how Yuugi shifted in his sleep, violet-tipped ebony hair brushing against Atemu's arm; he grinned. _Is it because of that innocent beauty?_ He shook his head, eyebrows furrowing in thought. _No ... Yuugi is not innocent by any means; I know that more than anyone. Perhaps it's because he's so giving of himself ..._

He watched the teenager shift in his sleep again, and was almost surprised to feel thin arms wrap around his waist. A smile touched his lips, and he held Yuugi closer to himself, glad to know that, despite being asleep, his partner knew that he was there. 

He hadn't intended to join Yuugi for at least another couple of hours, if he was to be honest with himself. And yet, every moment that he had spent without Yuugi's conscious presence close to him, he had felt more and more like he was going mad. Without Yuugi there to talk to him, he had felt so very empty. _This must be what they mean by love clouding one's thoughts,_ he mused. _I wouldn't trade it for anything, though. I like this feeling._ His fingers ran through Yuugi's hair again. _I'd almost forgotten what it was like to have someone depend on me. I wonder if I might have if I had been trapped any longer than I was._

Yuugi stirred again, mumbling something incoherent before burying his face into Atemu's stomach and settling down again. It took everything that the former pharaoh had to not laugh at the sensation that shot through him at Yuugi's action. It had tickled, of course, but it had also been so reminiscent of a small kitten seeking comfort that he found himself with the mental imagery of Yuugi with the ears and tail of one. He fought the image down forcibly, instinctually knowing that Yuugi would not be very pleased to know that he had thought of him in such a way; their relationship was still so new, after all, and such thoughts bordered along something much more intimate. 

"Atemu ..." The boy had been mumbling in his sleep for nearly the entire time that the spirit had been in his soul room with him; the words had never formed into anything clear, however. Now, looking at Yuugi curiously, he realized exactly what Yuugi's dreams were of, and he found himself blushing involuntarily. He had not expected his life-giver to be dreaming of him when he had been so exhausted. 

His fingers brushed through silken hair once again. 

That was when he noticed that his partner seemed restless; his muscles seemed too tense, and the tiniest of twitches along his smaller frame were becoming steadily more obvious. Atemu frowned. _Why so restless, my love ...?_ His fingers trailed to Yuugi's neck, brushing gentle, soothing circles in a futile attempt to get the boy to relax; he couldn't stand to see his life-giver under such stress. 

Unsure of what to do, he raked his mind to determine what might help Yuugi relax once more; unconsciously, he began to hum, very softly. He didn't even hear it himself at first: a low, deep hum that was almost akin to a purr as his hand trailed to Yuugi's back and drew inconsistent designs. A gentle smile touched his lips as Yuugi relaxed once more, head shifting along Atemu's stomach until one of his ears was pressed against it. A childlike smile graced perfect, smooth lips. 

_Ah, so you're feeling better now ..._ He continued to trace his random designs along Yuugi's back, still humming a tune that he was almost certain he himself had never heard before. It was soothing, though; he supposed he had picked it up while looking through Yuugi's memories to find a song to audition with earlier that day. _So that had a few benefits, after all._

He noted that Yuugi was resting right on his diaphragm, which he was sure was vibrating with his humming; the suspicion was confirmed when a soft laugh escaped the sleeping teenager. He had figured that might happen sooner or later, as he had discovered through reading Yuugi's memories that the boy was very ticklish. It was perhaps the only point of his loneliness that had been a benefit. After all, if there were less people around him that paid attention to him, then there would be less people to have tickled him. 

Which would make the act much more enjoyable for Atemu himself; the less that Yuugi had been tickled in the past, the more he might become surprised by it in the future. The violet fringes of his crimson eyes seemed to glow with a mischievous glint as he contemplated just how to catch Yuugi off guard. 

It was almost like a game to him, really. 

Yuugi's smile seemed to grow more angelic with each passing moment, and his own, gentle hum mixed with Atemu's after a while; Yuugi's was more like a purr than Atemu's however, lending more fuel to Atemu's mental vision of a kitten-like Yuugi. He forcibly swatted the image down again, paying close attention to the boy resting upon him, continuing his gentle, soothing hum to aid in his rest. 

For his part, Yuugi seemed to press even closer to him, losing himself into deeper sleep. His features no longer seemed tense at all, and his arms were no longer holding on so tightly to Atemu; he was holding on lovingly now, instead of as though his life depended on his grasp. That, in and of itself, comforted Atemu more than he thought that it would. His free hand caressed Yuugi's cheek, crimson eyes softening considerably as he simply watched the one he loved continue on in the embrace of sleep. 

_What would I do without you? Where would I be?_ He didn't want to think such thoughts, but they came to him, regardless. He understood just why they did; in the past, he had never known love. In truth, he had died rather young, even for the time that he lived. _If I had never been trapped in the puzzle ... if you had never managed to bring me back ..._ He shook his head, trying to force himself away from the thoughts. It wouldn't do to get depressed, after all. All that would come of that would be that Yuugi would be alerted to his situation and awaken prematurely; he did not want to disturb his partner's slumber. "And yet ... what would you have done if I didn't come to you, Yuugi?" he asked, voice as light as a feather's touch. 

He held in his laughter as he realized just how silly he was being; if only the people of Kemet could see him now. Their strong, powerful, and highly-irritable Pharaoh practically stunned into silence as though he were some love-struck teenaged girl; it really was laughable. He had always been so quick to deliver judgment onto criminals, seemingly heartless as he did so. His word had been law, and he had been practically a god. The people had both feared and revered him. 

Imagine their reaction to seeing him show such unconditional kindness. _Perhaps things would have turned out differently in the past. Perhaps I would not have seemed quite so bloodthirsty._ He shook his head again. _But, then, I would never have met my life-giver._

If anyone were to ask him if he would do it all over again, he already knew that his answer would be a resounding yes. It was worth it, after all, if it meant that he would get to be with Yuugi; if their time together was short, it was still worth it. Yuugi was worth everything. 

His attention returned to his partner, watching as the boy slept on, oblivious to his thoughts. He wouldn't have it any other way, really; he didn't want Yuugi to know everything just yet. In time, he would be more than willing to tell the teenager everything about his past, but now was not the time for him to know that information. He needed to be sure that Yuugi would not become too frightened of him. 

If only Yuugi knew just how close Atemu had come to actually killing Ushio that night, he probably would not have allowed Atemu to stay in control of his body. He would have taken control back, gone back to living the life he hated in the world that depressed him, if only to keep others from being harmed by a murderous king. _It's too soon._

Eventually, Yuugi would find out everything. He would be glad to tell him. But, until then, his rest would not be disturbed by such thoughts. Until then, he would remain blissfully unaware of the truth, and Atemu would protect him from everyone and everything, even himself. Yuugi was not in danger from him, after all. The rest of the world might be, but Yuugi would always be protected. And as his fingers brushed blonde bangs again, he vowed again that no harm would come to his life-giver. The humming continued, and Yuugi peacefully slept on. 

- - -

It had been about twenty hours since he had told Yuugi to get some rest, and the teenager hadn't woken yet. He might have been more worried if not for the fact that Atemu knew the rest would do the boy good; that was the just about only thing that kept him from trying to shake his life-giver awaken. 

The other was the fact that he didn't want to hear Yuugi's complaint about how he hadn't touched the homework assigned to him the day before. He had yet to understand what made people of this time place so much value on assignments for subjects that would hold no purpose later in their lives. Was there really any use for the ordinary person to know all of this Newton person's laws of physics? He seriously doubted it. 

And he didn't even want to get started on all of the flaws in the history classes with regards to Kemet. 

He tried his hardest to not fall asleep during the classes, not so much for his own sake, but for Yuugi's; he didn't want to cause any more trouble for the boy's record. He hadn't forgotten yet how upset Yuugi had been when he had been sent to the principal's office that first day. Some might say it was a stroke of luck that he hadn't been making repeat visits, in fact; he hadn't gotten rid of his uniform modifications, after all. However, he knew that _luck_ had nothing to do with it, and he was sure that Yuugi had even started to figure that fact out, as well. 

His abilities were capable of all sorts of things, after all. 

His eyelids began to droop, feeling almost as though they were made of lead, and he had to jolt himself back awake in order to avoid what would surely be an embarrassing situation. A passing memory fluttered through his consciousness as the thought of how embarrassing nodding off in class might be; a memory of a time that he had fallen asleep on his throne while listening to the charges against a prisoner. His cheeks had burned something fierce when one of his high priests had shaken him awake; he could still feel the heat when he thought of that memory. He had nearly wanted to slit someone's throat when the accusations had to be repeated due to his lack of alertness. 

He glanced up at the teacher, watching as he made fruitless attempts at keeping the attention of the students; from somewhere to his left, Atemu was positive that he heard the faint sounds of snoring. _So I'm not the only one who finds this boring,_ he thought. 

_**Mm ... what do you find boring?**_ a sleepy voice asked from within him. He had to fight back a smile in order to keep the attention of the class off of him; it wouldn't do for them to question him about why he was smiling to himself during something so dull, after all. A small yawn echoed in Atemu's head, and he sent a gentle caress to a very sleepy Yuugi. 

_Did you have a nice rest, love?_ There was a mumbled affirmative as he felt Yuugi snuggle against him some. He couldn't help but enjoy the feeling, ignoring the class as he focused all of his attention on his partner. _I'm glad that you were able to get some rest finally. I'm sorry for keeping you awake with me for so many nights._

_**I ... it's okay ... I wanted to be ... um ... I mean ...**_ He could tell that Yuugi was likely blushing within his soul room. He sent more soothing emotions to the boy, trying to calm him down, if only so that he could hear what Yuugi wanted to say. _**I wanted to stay up with you, my other self. I like being with you.**_

_I'm glad to hear that,_ he replied gently. _So ... were your dreams good ones?_ There was another sleepy affirmative mumble before Yuugi yawned again. Atemu found himself hit by the mental imagery that he'd been assaulted by the night before while watching Yuugi sleep, and forced it out of his head again. Especially now that Yuugi was awake, it would not be a very good idea to have such thoughts running around; Yuugi would see them, and that would do nothing but cause problems. Yuugi seemed to press closer against him, and Atemu glanced up to the teacher, only to find that he was still droning on about something unimportant. His attention returned to his life-giver. 

_**So how's class, anyway? What are you learning today?**_ There was no response to Yuugi's question, and he pressed closer, looking out to see the blank sheet of paper on the desk that Atemu was staring at; his other self had not so much as bothered to even put the date on the paper. _**Your note-taking skills seem to need some improvement.**_

_It's boring,_ he replied simply. Crimson eyes flicked up to the clock, watching the second tick by for a bit as Yuugi laughed within his head. There were five minutes left, and they seemed to be dragging on forever; Atemu had quickly discovered that seemed to be the curse of the final class of the school day. _When will you ever need to **use** any of this, anyway, my partner?_

_**Never, I'm sure. But they seem to feel it's important, and since 'school is a teenager's job,' we have to learn it.**_ Something seemed to be on Yuugi's mind, however. Atemu sent a prodding touch to him, only to receive a gentle laugh in response. _**How do you mange the homework if you don't even pay attention in class?**_ There was no response to the question; Atemu seemed as though he wanted to avoid the matter entirely, in fact. Yuugi noted that he seemed almost embarrassed. _**Atemu, you did do the homework, right?**_

_... Would it upset you if I said no?_ He put up mental arms in protection from Yuugi's frustration, and waited for the boy to calm down some before trying to further explain. _I had other things on my mind last night ... something ... no, someone much more important._ He was rewarded with the most adorable, self-conscious squeak from his life-giver. He sent another soft touch of affection to the boy. _You seemed to need the attention. And you looked so beautiful in your sleep._

_**Atemu ...**_

_Hush now. We can discuss that later, my love._ Joy fluttered across his awareness, and he knew that Yuugi had enjoyed hearing him address him in such a way. He looked over to the clock again, almost breathing a sigh of relief as the final seconds of the class ticked down. 

The bell rang, and he automatically grabbed up Yuugi's books, getting up from the desk and starting for the door. 

He didn't make it far, as a hand fell onto his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. His head turned, crimson eyes glaring at the hand before following the arm it was attached to up to the body that it was attached to. He found himself staring into the face of Jounouchi, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Is there a reason that you're touching me?" he asked, voice unforgiving and cold. 

"I'm sure you know about your engagement this afternoon," the blonde said, nodding towards the room across the hall. "Ten minutes, Mutou. You better be there." 

"Yeah, whatever ..." He pushed his way out of the room, heading for Yuugi's locker and depositing the books. _You're looking forward to this, aren't you?_ Atemu asked when he felt the bubble of excitement coming from his partner. 

_**I like hearing you.**_

He smiled to himself as he closed the locker, heading towards the classroom that Jounouchi had pointed out to him. 

"He's getting pissed. I'm not working all of my hours, so ..." 

"He has no right to get mad about that. Hell, he should be getting off of his ass and working, don't you think?" 

"I don't feel like dealing with the consequences of telling him that." 

The muffled voices hit his ears as he got to the door, and he paused for a moment before slowly opening the door. The two in the room � Honda and Jounouchi, he noted � silenced the moment that the door was no longer closed. He walked in, not showing any sign of having heard a word of what they had been saying, moving towards one of the desks and sitting on top of it, arms crossed over his chest. Crimson eyes glared at the two as other students from their class began slowly making their way in. 

Jounouchi had been about to open his mouth to speak, to begin their plans for the day, their preparations for what they would be doing for the festival, when the door opened once more, and someone strode in, confident and proud. All eyes turned to him, and Atemu felt his breath catch. 

_Seto ...!_ Yuugi pressed against him again, concerned. He had no idea why Atemu would be calling this particular person by his given name. 

_**Atemu ... it's rude to call him by ... I mean, we don't even really know him that well.**_

_Speak for yourself, little one. I know **him** very well._ A small frown touched his features, and crimson eyes bored into the proud teenager who had just entered the room. His mind raced as he tried to understand just what was happening. _But how is he here? He was alive so long ago, he shouldn't be ..._

_**Maybe it's a case of mistaken identity.**_

_Perhaps. But it's too coincidental, don't you think?_ There was no response, and he continued to look at the confident youth who stood before their classmates, blue eyes cold and holding a touch of superiority. 

"Kaiba, to what do we owe the honor of your perfect presence?" The sarcasm in Jounouchi's voice was biting. 

Kaiba did not even bother to respond to the tone or the mocking words; he simply looked around the room for a moment before leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. "My brother's going to be there." There was no question to what he meant by 'there'; the entire room knew that he meant the festival. "He will be given a great show." He glared towards Jounouchi and Honda, and Atemu caught both of them gulping at the icy look. 

"Ah, right ..." 

"Of course ..." 

Kaiba turned on his heel, pausing in the doorway. "I'll give my contribution tomorrow, then. I'm glad we see eye to eye on this." He continued out of the room, and everyone stared at the door blankly. 

"Well, then ..." Jounouchi started, trying to break the tension left by the corporate mastermind who just so happened to be one of their classmates; Kaiba Seto had always been known as a cold-hearted businessman who only really cared for the opinion of his younger brother. No one had been very surprised at his reason for deciding to contribute. "Now that _that's_ settled ... let's get this show on the road." 

To Atemu, it looked as though the afternoon was shaping up to be very interesting, indeed. _Well,_ he pondered in amusement, _at least today's rehearsal won't bore me too badly._

- - -

Atemu opened the door gently, lest he disturb the one within; he wasn't sure if Yuugi was alert or not. "You don't have to be so quiet or so slow; I've been waiting for you." He winced. 

"I should have figured." 

"Well, I did sleep for ... what, a day, was it?" 

"Twenty hours," Atemu responded with a sly grin, moving towards the bed that Yuugi sat on, sliding down next to him and wrapping discretely chiseled arms around a thin waist. 

"Close enough." His voice echoed with the tainting of a false whine and pout, and Atemu was barely able to hold onto his laughter. He felt it, however, the way that the other's chest shook with the barely suppressed chuckles, and he swatted at the former pharaoh jokingly. Warm lips pressed against Yuugi's neck, and he smiled at the affectionate kiss, leaning back into the man that he had fallen in love with so easily. "This feels nice ... being here with you, just like this." 

"Every time that I'm here, I wish that I didn't have to leave," Atemu admitted against Yuugi's skin, voice barely audible. His arms pulled around the boy's waist even more tightly; he was rewarded by Yuugi's gentle sigh of contentment. "I love holding you." 

"I love being held by you." He laughed softly, shifting around some to look up at his other self, smiling brightly. Atemu was once again taken aback by the brilliance of that smile; it was enough to light up even the darkest of rooms, he was sure. "Who was he, Atemu?" 

He didn't need to ask just who Yuugi was referring to; he already knew. Ever since the encounter that afternoon, Yuugi had been curious as to what his connection was with this Kaiba Seto. He frowned, trying to find the proper words. As much as he had promised himself that he would not hold information back from his life-giver when he asked for it, no matter what, he wasn't sure if he wanted to get into that particular subject just yet. His arms tightened around Yuugi's waist again, and he placed another kiss on the smooth skin of the boy's neck. "He was my friend, I suppose you could say. We didn't hate each other, in any event, although we did often have a bit of a rivalry." He paused as he felt laughter bubbling within Yuugi's stomach, and smiled. "He was one of the six high priests that aided my rule over Kemet; he was the highest ranked of the six, in fact." 

"Sounds important," Yuugi mentioned, a snicker escaping along with the words. Atemu knew exactly what the teenager was thinking; leave it to Seto to be someone _important_ no matter what life he was in. He wouldn't expect any less from the high priest, after all. "It was," Atemu responded, voice colored with mirth before placing another kiss on Yuugi's neck. "But there are things more important than position, my love." A soft, satisfied moan escaped Yuugi at that. "This isn't very becoming of a conversation between us, however." 

"Isn't it? It lets me know about your past." 

"No, it lets you know about a person from my past, not about how I was," he retorted with a chuckle; for his part, Yuugi snickered. 

"Then what should we talk about?" 

"Do we have to talk at all?" he asked just moments before turning Yuugi around and pressing him down onto the bed, sealing their lips together in a deep, heartfelt kiss. Neither moved for what seemed almost like both an eternity and the briefest of instants, reveling in the feel of being pressed so close, breath feathering across each other's cheeks. 

Neither wanted to be the first to pull away; they wished for nothing more than for the moment to last forever. But, eventually, the position became uncomfortable, and Atemu found himself pulling away from Yuugi, gazing upon kiss-bitten lips and cheeks flushed by embarrassment. He lowered himself once again, placing a chaste kiss upon Yuugi's lips once, twice, a third time before pulling back once more. "You're beautiful," he breathed, watching violet eyes shine with delight at the compliment; Yuugi seemed to be in a state of ecstatic bliss from their kiss. Atemu could not help but swell with some pride at knowing that he had put that emotion into his life-giver, that _he_ was the one that Yuugi loved above all else. It meant everything to him. 

If he could, he would shout it from the rooftops, that this person, this wonderful and perfect Mutou Yuugi was his and _his_ alone. That Yuugi's love was all for him, and he would be selfish and never let another hold it. 

"What's with that look?" Yuugi asked curiously and tenderly, his voice full of concern. He poked at Atemu's abdomen lightly, an amused grin on his lips as he felt the muscles there clench and twitch some at the touch. 

"Just thinking of how lucky I am to have you," the former pharaoh replied cheekily; Yuugi gave him a look, and he seemed to feign innocence before practically diving down for another kiss. "Alright ... I'm thinking of how I want to laugh in the face of the world that I have your love." Yuugi chuckled, nodding some. He fully believed the answer, and Atemu pouted at that. "You'll buy that, but you won't accept that I feel lucky for having you?" 

"Oh, I do believe that you feel lucky for having me. But I also felt that it wasn't what you were thinking of." His hand rested over his own chest, where his heart would be, and tapped twice with his index finger. "I felt it here." The action, combined with the words, brought a loving smile to Atemu's face. 

"Well, I can't argue with that." 

"As though you won't try." He gave Atemu a knowing smirk, and the violet fringe of the spirit's crimson eyes seemed to glow with malicious intent; Yuugi almost regretted what he had said. 

A second later, he more than regretted it. In fact, he downright wished that he could take it all back, as Atemu's fingers found their way to Yuugi's sides and he tickled the boy for all he was worth. A thrilled shriek ripped from Yuugi's throat, followed by bubbling giggles as he squirmed, trying his hardest to get away; the attempts were, unfortunately, futile. Atemu was kneeling above him, one leg on either side of Yuugi's body and leaning over him almost menacingly as he exacted the torture; Yuugi cried out for mercy, but none was granted. Atemu just continued tickling as though his life depended upon the action, blood red eyes dancing with delight as Yuugi's laughter lit his entire soul. 

Yuugi whimpered, begging for Atemu to stop as tears fell from his eyes; that was when he knew that his laughter had gone on for too long. Immediately, the action halted, and gentle fingers were on his face, wiping tears away tenderly before Atemu placed a kiss on his cheek. "I love you," Yuugi's other self whispered reverently. "I love you with everything that I am. You are my entire world; my first, my last, and my everything." 

A fierce blush colored Yuugi's cheeks at the words, and he wrapped his arms around Atemu's waist, pulling the former pharaoh down onto himself. Their lips brushed in a kiss light as a butterfly's wings. "I love you," he murmured. His smile turned positively impish a moment later, however, and Atemu eyed him warily. "You do realize, however, that this means war." 

"What?" 

"Oh yes. You tickled me, so now I should get something, as well." His grip around Atemu's waist tightened, and violet eyes seemed to glow wickedly. "So you'll have to sing for me." 

"Yuugi ..." 

"No refusals allowed! I want to hear you sing!" He pressed his lips to Atemu's again, and the other sighed softly in defeat. "I love your voice, my other self. And, honestly, it's just for me. It won't be bad at all." Crimson eyes looked at him despairingly, and he laughed softly. Those eyes immediately brightened as he saw the smile on Yuugi's face. 

"Fine ... I'll sing for you. But, later." 

"Now." 

"Later." He pressed onto Yuugi, kissing gently again. "For now, I want to spend some time just admiring you." The fiery blush was immediately coloring Yuugi's cheeks again, and he kissed at it gently, lips just barely touching upon it. "So beautiful," he murmured, chest creating a soft buzz in Yuugi's ear as the boy pressed himself against it. "So absolutely perfect." 

"Not nearly as much as you," came the mumbled response. He realized exactly what was happening. Yuugi was still slightly worn out, despite his long rest. Atemu nodded to himself, fingers stroking Yuugi's arm with feather-light touches. A soft, gentle hum worked its way from his throat, and he slowly soothed Yuugi to sleep. 

He would sing for his love later, just as Yuugi had wanted. But, for now, the well-being of his life-giver was infinitely more important. After all, at least in Atemu's eyes, Yuugi was the most perfect and valuable person that the world had ever possessed. _And he's mine now. He'll always be mine. I will shower him with everything his heart could ever desire._

He felt Yuugi's grip slacken some as his humming continued to lull the teenager towards sleep, and Atemu shifted his own position until he was lying on his back, with Yuugi's head resting on his chest. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to be lured into the world of dreams as well; he knew that, for now, nothing would disturb either himself or his life-giver. 

And as the night wore on, they stayed within Yuugi's soul room, each wrapped in the other's embrace. As they slept, they shared their dreams without even realizing that they were doing so. 

- - -

**Disclaimer:** Yuugiou is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. I do not claim any right to the series or its characters, and I should probably apologize for the hell I'm likely to be putting them through in this story. 


	4. Chapter 4: Wish

**If the World Doesn't Want Me**   
Wish   
by Josie

Yuugi had been in a state of bliss for the entire week; it was almost like the state that Atemu himself had been in a few times in the past, after having what might be considered a bit too much wine. He'd been warned by his advisors a few times that overindulgence could only bring trouble, but, really, he had been the pharaoh. It was only natural for him to indulge in whatever he pleased. It hadn't taken very long for his advisors to give up on attempts at convincing him to not treat himself as often as he liked. It had always been a futile fight. But, then, that was to be expected when standing up against a pharaoh who knew what he wanted. 

It was because of that, however, that Atemu had an idea of what Yuugi was feeling, although the conditions for the boy's current status had nothing to do with any alcoholic substance. On the contrary, Yuugi was enthralled by something that was perfectly natural, although Atemu had been told on many occasions that it was also completely hypnotic. 

Yuugi had become enchanted by Atemu's voice whenever he sang, and, much to the teenager's pleasure, the former pharaoh had sung every afternoon that week, thanks to the rehearsals for the spring semester festival. 

The boy had expressed some concerns the night before. The full dress rehearsal had been performed that afternoon, and he had finally seen how the stage dancers would fit in with the band that their class had put together. Every time that one of the dancers came too close to Atemu, Yuugi had bristled within his soul room, and the former pharaoh had been forced to send as much comfort as he could to the worried teenager. 

It was too late to back out, however, especially as he was already backstage, waiting for everything to get underway. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted Kaiba typing something into one of the computers that he'd provided; everyone had been surprised at just how much Kaiba had decided to provide them with. On top of his funding everything for them, he had decided to provide them with some top-of-the-line technology to get some amazing effects on the stage. Atemu had been rather impressed by some of them, if he was to be truly honest; it wasn't every day that one was able to see a life-like dragon sitting right beside him. 

It was, however, almost expected of him when his motives were considered. Atemu had discovered � courtesy of Yuugi's 'book' of memories � that Kaiba Seto was at the very least borderline obsessed with his younger brother. That he had come out at point-blank and said that his brother would be at the festival before even making his offer to contribute anything had driven that point home quite nicely, in fact. Not that it made the contributions any less impressive, nor did it make their classmates any less grateful for it. If anything, they were more grateful for it, because it was his determination to give his brother a great show that had gotten all other classes to envy their little project from even just the shortest of glances. 

And, as for Yuugi? Atemu was pleased to note that his partner was watching from his soul room with wide eyes, taking in the sight as a starving man takes in food. He was awed by the synchronized lights as they were tested and retested, and he seemed to burst with anticipation as he heard the sound checks. Atemu smiled to himself as he leaned against a wall; he really just could not get enough of his life-giver's exuberance. 

He was content to just allow Yuugi's happiness wash against him for the entire length until the festival began and he would be needed. It seemed like an enjoyable prospect, if nothing else; he didn't really have anything that required his immediate attention, at least. That was, until he heard _it_. He was sure that it wasn't meant to be heard by any random passersby, but the fact remained that he _had_ heard it, and something about it intrigued him. 

"I can't believe he followed me here." The voice was low, followed by a string of curses that Atemu almost found himself applauding the speaker on. It was, if nothing else, among some of the more colorful language he'd had the privilege of hearing. A quick glance up in the direction of the voice, and he was greeted by a mop of blonde hair attached to a pacing teenager. Rage emanated from his every movement, from each step to the smallest twitch of a muscle. Atemu found it interesting. 

A sigh; Atemu lowered his gaze, not wanting to draw the attention of the ranting teenager and his listener. His attention, however, remained entirely focused on the pair. "Why did he follow you, anyway?" 

"Determined asshole ..." the first muttered, coming to a halt. Atemu could just feel him shaking with rage. "Got so pissed I didn't give him my paycheck for this week, he decided to see what the hell I'd have to do at school for a full day on a Saturday. Yelled about how I'm 'wasting a perfectly good work day,' as though he's a fine one to talk," he snorted, kicking at the ground. Atemu felt himself smirking, enjoying the display of emotion. 

_**You shouldn't spy on people, my other self. It's rude!**_ He almost flinched at the sound of his beloved's voice running through his head; it effectively snapped him from his reverie, drawing his attention fully. He sent a gentle caress to the boy, holding back a laugh at how it immediately soothed him. 

_I'm just curious, my partner,_ he returned, smiling again as he felt Yuugi snuggling up to him once more. He loved the way that it felt to have his little one pressed up against him in such a way. It's intriguing. _I never expected such a little mystery to fall into my lap, and you're going to tell me I can't play with it?_ he asked with a mental pout. Yuugi's laughter filled his head, and he sent another caress to him. How he loved that laugh. 

It was, however, intriguing, whether Yuugi wanted him to delve deeper into its depths or not; for now, that was all that really mattered to the former pharaoh as he allowed his thoughts to wander to what the two boys had been talking about. If anything, it was an indication of a problematic relationship of some sort in one of their lives. In that regard, he had to admit that Yuugi was correct in saying that it wasn't really his business. It was, after all, a personal matter that one boy was asking his friend for help in, and Atemu was far from a friend to either of them. Considering their past reactions to his partner, he was pretty sure that he would never _want_ to be their friend, either. And yet, still, he was unable to shake the nagging feeling that there was something important about what he had overheard. It was almost as though fate had stuck her hand in and made it possible to listen in on that particular conversation, just as he had overheard a similar snippet a few days prior. He frowned to himself, bowing his head so that none of the students could see his expression. Something bothered him about the situation; he couldn't stand sitting around carelessly as someone was stuck in a situation that was detrimental to them. It was against everything that he stood for. 

_**You're thinking about it still,**_ Yuugi chided. Atemu found himself sending his love to the young life-giver again, and was once more rewarded with the sensation of the boy snuggling up against him again. _**My other self ... you really shouldn't. It's not our business.**_

_I know, love, but ..._ He closed his eyes, concentrating on just how to explain the situation to Yuugi. _I suppose it's because of who I was. I don't know. I just feel responsible for people; for getting them out of unfavorable circumstances._ He felt Yuugi's approval of the sentiment; it was a start, if nothing else. _I won't seek out trouble in this. I won't push my way in. I promise you that, my partner. However ..._

_**If things end up falling into your lap, you won't just let them slide away.**_ He wanted to hug the little one for his understanding. Yuugi's heart of gold was more than enough to catch Atemu's full attention, and he was never afraid to admit as much to the boy. _**You really like helping people out, don't you?**_

He smiled, looking up as he heard someone calling for 'Yuugi' to get onto the stage. As he walked, he replied to his little one, _Perhaps it's just me overreacting. We won't know for sure for a while, unfortunately. However, if I see a problem occurring, and the person in trouble doesn't seem to deserve it ... I will step in. That's just how I am, I suppose._ Yuugi's love once more overwhelmed him, and he had to cover his reaction to it quickly, before anyone noticed and commented on it. It wouldn't do for anyone to find out his secret, after all. 

The stage itself was something of a wonder to him; Kaiba really had outdone himself, according to what he could find in Yuugi's memories and by all standards that Atemu had ever known. Even the Seto that he had once known would have been surprised with the lengths that Kaiba Seto had gone through for his younger brother's enjoyment. _But he's just as obsessive ..._ He heard Yuugi's gentle laughter and smirked to himself. The first run-through with Kaiba's technology really had thrown him for a loop, when he thought about it, regardless of how impressive it had been. At first, Atemu had wondered just when he'd accidentally managed to call out his monsters from the shadows before one passed right through him and Yuugi had explained that they were simply holograms � tricks of the light, as best as Atemu was able to figure. 

It had confused him at first, seeing the contribution all set up. How could an ordinary high school student have access to the kind of technology that Kaiba Seto had offered for the class's use, after all? He had since learned that the boy was the chief executive officer of a corporation, and that the technology was produced by that corporation: KabiaCorp, he'd learned, was now the biggest name in the gaming industry, though he had been able to find vague references that it had only become focused on games in the past few years. After Seto's takeover of the company, in fact. That in itself was a small testament to the fact that this Kaiba Seto had a connection to the Seto he knew in Kemet. 

Not that Atemu was going to mention that to Yuugi just yet. He needed to find out for himself just what kind of connection Kaiba Seto had to his former high priest first, then he could bring up the situation to his little life-giver. 

- - -

Everyone seemed to be convening at the same general area of the festival, much to the chagrin of the majority of classes. More than just a few envious glares were cast towards the area that class 1-B had obtained. Few had gone to see what their competition had managed to provide to those who had come to the festival that was so attractive to everyone, but those who had came out in a sort of daze, mumbling about 'never hearing something like that before.' It had been quite unnerving. 

It was an interesting enough mystery, if nothing else; more than enough to gain the attention of one of the more open-hearted festival-goers, in fact. He had been idly perusing the various booths, enjoying what they offered and complimenting the food at any of the class booths that were serving it. He had been more than happy to sample everything, giving a kind smile and gentle words that everyone had found extremely endearing. He didn't want to seem rude by rushing over to the area for class 1-B, however, regardless of how much he wanted to see what all of the commotion was about. It wouldn't do for him to come off as rude during his first visit to the school that he would soon be transferring to. 

Something was bothering him, however. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but there was _something_ that was just not sitting well with him as he made his way through the booths. He frowned, looking around in a vain attempt to pinpoint where the feeling of unease was coming from. With every moment, his gaze was drawn towards the closed off area that he had not yet explored; he felt himself being pulled towards it by some unseen force. 

Before he knew what he was doing, he found himself just outside of the 'sealed' area, paying the small fee to gain entrance to whatever it was that this class had decided to create. 

He stopped dead as soon as he stepped in; frozen by a baritone that stole his heart from the first note he heard it sing. He whimpered as his lungs struggled to take in breath. His chest was constricted, and he felt his heart pounding hard against his ribs. Brown eyes scanned the area, falling upon the first year students on the stage. Crimson locked on brown for the briefest of instants, and the small amount of air that he'd managed to take in left him in a rush. His head was swimming as he found himself become intoxicated by the singer. _No wonder everyone has made their way over to here,_ he mused, the only coherent thought that he was able to form. The singer was perfect, sexy; everything that this boy could ever want. And he knew beyond any doubt that he could listen to that voice for an eternity and never grow tired of it. 

Something pricked at the back of his mind, however, as his eyes fell onto the chain that the other teenager wore, with a golden, inverted pyramid attached to it. He frowned as he recognized the pattern on it; his hand moved to his chest, where he had a pendant with a similar marking. _Is this what ..._

But the thought was cut off as that voice once again broke past him and overpowered his senses once again. He wanted more; more than he could be given in just this small concert at a school festival. He wanted forever with that boy, with that voice. He was certain that he would obey any command, if that was the person giving them. 

It was infatuation in its most potent form, and he knew it; he was sure that the boy on stage knew sort of a reaction he was creating in the listeners, as well. It didn't stop him from falling, hard and fast, for this singer, however. If anything, it made him fall even more. His heart pounded hard in his chest again, a maddening thump that begged to be given attention. _I want him ... I want to be with him. I want to know what it feels like to have his arms around me, and to have him whispering words to me that he means for no other. Words of love, of lust ..._ He found himself blushing and, nervously, his tucked a strand of hair white as the purest snow behind his ear. _Is this what it's like ...? Is this love?_ He felt his heart tug again, and a soft whimper escaped him again. _Is love at first sight even possible?_ He frowned. _Or is it merely lust? Purely sexual need drilled into me by his voice._ Crimson eyes fell onto him again, and he felt his knees go weak. _There is no way that this is just lust ..._

It took everything that he had to restrain himself from running through the tightly-packed crowd of listeners, all of whom were focused so intently on the singing male in spite of the other students who performed with him: a band and a number of dancers. He couldn't blame them, the singer was rather captivating. He was sure that he vaguely registered holographic figures moving in time with the music, alongside the dancers, but even they didn't matter, with the exception of one. The one in a long purple robe, with a hood of the same color, tall and perfect; the one that wrapped its arms around the intoxicating singer in a familiar embrace. How he wished to be that image. 

Time seemed to speed up to an impossible blur while stopping at the same time. He lost all thought, and his breath was stolen away from him. He stepped forward blindly, called by an urge that he had never felt before in his life. Truly, it was unbecoming, and the small bit of consciousness that he did hold onto was screaming at him to stop. But he couldn't. He was enslaved by that voice, snared by its enthralling nature. His every motion told that small voice in his head to shut up and let him move on. He needed to meet this boy. He felt as though he would not be complete if he was not at the other's side. 

He stopped, frowning. _What am I thinking? If I want to be with him so badly, then it's obvious that others have wanted to be with him, as well. He probably has someone._ He shook his head, trying to turn away; he found himself unable to complete the action. _For all I know, he's only interested in girls, anyway. Why am I getting my hopes up?_

But his doubts were washed away as his gentle brown eyes once again locked with a crimson gaze. He stepped forward again. _Love me, please ..._ his mind whispered, and he wished with all of his heart that he could get the words to reach the boy on the stage. A mocking laugh echoed through his head, and he flinched. It was cold, cruel; it was something that he had never heard before in his life. But as soon as he heard it, it was gone again. He frowned, but returned his attention to the handsome singer. 

He needed to get out of there, needed to breathe again. He tried to move his legs, but found them rooted firmly to the spot where he stood, feeling as though they were made of lead. Another soft whimper as his eyes followed the subtle movements of the singer, drinking in every small detail of his exotic features. He wanted to bury his fingers in the ebony hair fringed by violet; he wanted to know how those golden bangs, so akin to bolts of lightening, felt. He wanted to feel that hair brush against his skin while the other boy kissed him. 

He managed to stop his train of thought, but not before a deep blush had settled onto his cheeks. He had never been very good at dealing with such matters; he was, in fact, rather shy by nature. He was surprising himself with the notions running through his head, really. They were unlike any of the dreams or fantasies he'd allowed himself before. _What is this hold that he has over me? Why do I feel so drawn to him? Why do I want his attentions and affection?_

The song ended, and that delectable voice faded away, allowing the onlookers a chance to once again breathe and tear their eyes away from the slim figure on the stage. And yet, the white-haired teenager found that he could not take his eyes off of the boy. Instead, his eyes were glued to the figure, and his breathing became ever more rapid as he noted the way that the blue pants of the other's school uniform clung to his legs just right, the way that his jacket hung at his shoulders like a cape, billowing out behind him. His pulse quickened again as he noted the black leather muscle shirt, perfectly complemented by a studded leather collar and cuffs; this boy was practically a walking vision of desire. 

He felt a shiver run up his spine as his mind forcibly broke his gaze, and he found himself turning away as quickly as possible. _No ... I can't stay here. I'm going crazy. I really am. Just seeing him sends me over the edge._ Slowly, he stepped towards the exit, willing himself not to listen as he heard the drumbeat of the next song. Heavy steps; slow, purposeful. He managed to get out just before the intoxicating voice overpowered the audience once more. 

The haze cleared from his eyes, and he took two deep breaths before walking as fast as he could, as far from the area as he could manage. Eventually, he collapsed against a wall, attempting to regain what composure he could. _This is not the impression I want to make before coming into this school. I do not need everyone knowing about my preferences before I start here. It will only bring trouble,_ he berated himself, but he knew that it was all in vain. How could he not fall for the other boy, after all? He was sure that everyone who was listening to him � watching him � felt it, too. The need to be with him. The desire to have him with them forever. It wasn't entirely the white-haired teenager's fault. 

_**You want to be with him, do you, host? You'll get your chance, I'm sure. But first, Bakura Ryou, you will do something for me. You'll meet with him and let me have a chance to see how low his defenses really are.**_ Cold, calculating words by a voice bordering on insane. He felt terror shoot through him. The voice was one that he never wanted to hear again, but he had the sickening, sinking feeling that he would not have that particular wish granted. 

And, somewhere in the back of his mind, he had a feeling that, try though he might, there was no way that he was going to be able to go against the wishes of that voice. One way or another, he would end up meeting with that singer, just as the voice wanted, even if he wasn't controlling his actions to do so. And that frightened Bakura Ryou more than anything ever had before in his life. 

- - -

Yuugi collapsed against the bed, a drugged smile gracing his features. He had felt this way every day for the past week, every time that he heard his other self sing. It was the most intoxicating drug he knew of, and he loved every second of hearing that voice. It sent shivers down his spine and made him feel more alive than he ever had before in his life. He wanted with everything he was, needed with every small bit of himself. Even kissing Atemu had never made him feel quite like listening to him sing did. It wasn't to say that he didn't enjoy the kisses, of course; he enjoyed them immensely, in fact. But the sound of the other's voice was something of a delicacy. He wished, at times, that he hadn't begged Atemu to agree to be the singer for his class. If he hadn't, then his other self's voice would be a pleasure that he and he alone would be privilege to; the prospect was extremely tempting to Yuugi. 

But he had convinced Atemu to do it, and he supposed that it was for the better, anyway. After all, he got to hear the former pharaoh sing, regardless, so he was more than happy just with that. He snuggled against the pillow that his other self tended to rest on every night, face burrowing into it and eyes closing as he inhaled deeply, savoring the scent of the man that he loved; the sharp scent of wine and figs assaulted him, and he smiled, humming softly to himself in appreciation. _Atemu ..._

His eyes remained closed as he listened to his other self sing, losing himself in the baritone that sent lust shooting through him. He'd been hard pressed to not throw himself at the former pharaoh the past few nights. 

Pulling the pillow closer to himself, he unconsciously shifted his hips in time with the music, a gentle moan escaping his throat. He imagined his love's hands on his hips, keeping time against him as they moved together, danced together. It was a wonderful dance, a sensual dance, and he smiled. His pharaoh would certainly enjoy dancing with him like that, their bodies moving as one. 

His movements halted abruptly as the music came to an end, and he whimpered in frustration. He was enjoying his dance. He fell back against the bed again, eyes still closed, waiting for the next song. 

It didn't come. 

He tapped his foot in annoyance, waiting, hoping that perhaps it was just his wish to hear another song that made it seem as though an eternity had passed, when, in reality, it was only a few moments. 

But, still, no song began. 

He was getting frustrated and annoyed. His eyes snapped open, and he grumbled about how the band was apparently worthless if they couldn't even get a song going for him to continue his dreams of time with his beloved other self. 

That was when he heard it: a deep chuckle, mocking his frustrations. He shot up, sending a glare to the doorway before he abandoned all anger and smiled brilliantly, jumping up from the bed instantly and flinging himself into the other's arms. A warm kiss was pressed onto his lips, and he felt himself purr softly. Atemu had said he loved when Yuugi purred; it reminded him of a palace kitten. As Atemu's lips trailed from Yuugi's mouth to his neck, Yuugi reflected on just why Atemu had liked that analogy for Yuugi: cats were, after all, sacred in ancient Egypt, just as Atemu felt that Yuugi was sacred to him. 

Lips pressed against his collarbone, followed shortly by teeth softly grazing the skin for the briefest of instants. Yuugi wrapped his arms tightly around the former pharaoh's shoulders, whimpering very softly. _The tease ... the awful tease ..._ And, yet, he knew that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he enjoyed whenever Atemu teased him in such a way. 

"I missed you ..." Words whispered against him, and he felt a grin tug at his lips. Hands buried themselves in Yuugi's hair, and their lips were sealed together once more, in a deeper, more probing kiss. He yielded quickly to Atemu's gentle demand for dominance, opening his mouth to be rewarded by his other self's tongue entering his mouth slowly, teasingly trailing along the roof of his mouth before settling along Yuugi's own tongue. A whimper as the pharaoh's tongue retreated and Yuugi found himself sucking in slowly, trying to draw the other back in, only to shiver as he felt his other self gently lick at his lips with soft, teasing flicks. Moments later, the teenager was rewarded by that expert, wet muscle sliding against his own again, sending sensations through his being that he was sure he'd never felt before. 

_Well, one thing's for sure ... there's never a dull moment with Atemu around ..._ he mused as the other pulled back slowly, smiling gently at him. "I ..." He swallowed, blushing as he rested his head against Atemu's shoulder. "I missed you, too." 

"I noticed you were listening again." Humor tainted the other's voice, and Yuugi found himself resisting the urge to smack him playfully. He'd tried that the other night; it had ended up in him being forced to reenact his dancing for his other self, without any music and while standing instead of lying comfortably on the bed. Instead, he placed a fleeting, butterfly-light kiss on the other's neck. "I felt you dancing again," he whispered, fingers coming through violet-tipped ebony tresses. "I love when you do that, you know ... but it does drive me wild." He felt Yuugi's cheeks burn with embarrassment against his neck and smirked. "I'm glad we took the break when we did. I doubt I would have lasted much longer with you going on as you were." 

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to make fun of the person who's letting you use his body?" 

A rich laugh, followed by Atemu's hands trailing down to Yuugi's sides. "Oh, forgive me, my life-giver." He smirked mischievously before tickling the boy, both of them falling to the floor as one tried to squirm away and the other tried to continue the gentle torture. _How I love the way it feels to have you writhing against me ..._ he thought reverently, before quickly pushing the thought out of mind; such thoughts were not fitting just yet. He didn't want to rush his little one into anything, and he was more than content to just allow their relationship grow for however long it would take. Physical pleasure held nothing over emotional closeness, after all. 

Finally, he paused in his tickling of the smaller boy, kissing the tip of his nose. "So beautiful ..." he whispered reverently, crimson eyes shining with the truth of his words. "I want to keep you in my arms forever ..." 

"And I'd like to stay here forever," came the whispered reply as Yuugi wrapped his arms around Atemu's waist, allowing his face to be masked by the pharaoh's perfectly-chiseled chest. They held each other close, neither wanting to move from the comfortable position they'd found; any position they ended up falling into tended to be comfortable to them lately, as long as they were in each other's arms. "So ..." 

"Mm?" 

"Enjoying yourself out there?" He smirked against Atemu's chest, eyes closed as he inhaled the scent that left him ensnared by everything that his other self was. There was no reply, and he smiled softly, murmuring, "I noticed you drove a number of spectators into hormonal overdrive." A rich laugh, and the movement of Atemu's muscles tickled Yuugi's nose. He smiled again. "Don't go cheating on me just because everyone out there wants you." 

"I wouldn't dream of it, my partner." The reply was serious, filled with love. 

Before Yuugi realized what was happening, he was lifted up into Atemu's strong arms and being carried over to the bed. He squealed happily at the action, rubbing his face into Atemu's neck lovingly. "Mm ... what is my pharaoh going to do with me?" Another rich chuckle; he found himself laid gently on his back with his other self sitting beside him, fingers slowly stroking his hair. 

"So lovely." The words were barely a whisper, and Yuugi had to strain to hear them fully. He blushed, poking at the other's stomach teasingly. Still, Atemu continued to stare down at him in awe. The teenager knew the expression well; Atemu was asking himself just how he had managed to get so lucky as to end up with him. It was ironic, in a way; Yuugi felt the exact same way about his own luck with regards to snagging his other self. 

Gentle lips brushed over his forehead, and Yuugi smiled sleepily. "I dance for you, my pharaoh, because you enjoy it so ..." he murmured, closing his eyes, only to snap them open a moment later at the barely suppressed snicker that his other self let out. "Hey!" He smacked the other on the arm lightly, pouting up at him, and an apologetic kiss was placed on his lips. Yuugi was more than happy to accept the apology, and nuzzled against the other's cheek. "See if I ever get all mushy and romantic around _you_ again." He stuck out his tongue at the other playfully, not expecting anything at all to come of the action. He was thoroughly surprised to find it surrounded by his beloved's mouth a mere moment later, being gently caressed by Atemu's own once again. The pharaoh pulled back after a scant few moments. 

"I thought that I told you not to stick that out if you didn't intend to use it." He smirked at the blushing boy beneath him before winking at him. "Not that I'm complaining about your decision to do so ..." 

"Mm, of course not. Such a sneaky pharaoh I have ..." 

"You know you enjoy it," he returned, lying down and wrapping his arms around his smaller partner's waist. He smiled as the boy sighed contentedly in his arms. "I don't want to go back out there. I'm much too comfortable here now." Yuugi poked at his stomach, but he didn't react to it. Another poke, and no reaction again. A third poke, and this time he raised his head to look at the boy. "What?" 

"You're going back out there. I want to hear you sing again." A raised eyebrow and a smirk from his other self, and Yuugi found himself blushing, hiding his face against the other's shoulder. "Um, I mean ..." 

"Need to get off, love?" A soft snicker, silenced by another gentle smack to his arm. "Sorry. You left it open for me ..." 

Yuugi poked him in the stomach again, eliciting a small laugh from his handsome pharaoh. He smiled into the other's chest, breathing in again. "See if I ever open up to you again," he said with a pout, earning the reward of loving fingers tangling into his hair once more. He smiled again; this was his favorite feeling in the world, when he thought about it: the feel of Atemu holding him, toying with his hair ... making him feel safer than he had ever felt before. Each time felt better than the time before, and he was grateful for every moment that he spent with his gorgeous and wonderful boyfriend. He snuggled closer, sighing softly. 

"Happy, love?" A small nod as the other burrowed closer. "Mm, I'm glad." 

They held each other tight, both relaxing as they let the outside world disappear from their thoughts for even just the smallest of instants. All that really mattered to them was their time together. "Mm, Atemu?" A soft grunt of acknowledgement, and Yuugi grinned again. "When are you going to tell me more about ancient Egypt, anyway? I want to know more about how things were when you were pharaoh." 

He chuckled softly, eyes closed as he continued to toy with Yuugi's hair; it was an action he fell into easily, once he'd realized how much it calmed both his nerves and his partner's. "When I figure out a few things that are bothering me, love. I promise that I'll tell you everything you wish to know when I find that out." Yuugi nodded against him, falling silent once more. 

A quick glance out of the skylight of Yuugi's soul room, the window to the outside world, told him that he had to get going very soon, regardless of how much he wanted to stay exactly where he was. He sighed softly, kissing Yuugi's forehead, smiling apologetically when the boy looked up at him with questioning eyes. He shook his head slightly, pointing to the skylight, where the activity of Yuugi's classmates making their way back towards the stage could be seen. "I have to go, love." He placed a gentle kiss on the boy's lips before, rolling them over so that Yuugi was once more on his back. As he stood, pulling himself slowly from his beloved's grasp, he placed gentle, chaste kisses upon him, until he began stretching himself too much to continue the act. His hand lingered on Yuugi's as long as possible before he slowly started for the door. "Oh ... Yuugi? Don't forget to dance for me," he said, giving his partner a sexy, calculated wink before quickly turning and leaving the room, taking control of Yuugi's body once more. 

Yuugi sighed to himself, closing his eyes again as he waited for his other self to make his way back to the stage, settling in on the bed. He smirked to himself, feeling a bit devious as the other's words sunk in. "Oh, I'll dance for you, alright ..." He shifted his hips some on the bed, laughing softly as he watched out of his skylight, waiting for whatever song Atemu would be singing to begin. 

It was strange, in a way. He never would have expected himself to behave in such an openly flirtatious manner before he'd met his other self. Something about the former pharaoh made him feel so comfortable, so at ease; he supposed that it had something to do with the fact that Atemu would understand him, and would approve of his actions, no matter what. His other self truly loved him. Yuugi couldn't be happier. 

But that didn't stop him from wanting to make the other's time on stage almost unbearable for him. His smirk grew as he prepared himself to give his beloved one hell of a wild ride. 

- - -

Atemu stretched luxuriously as the festival finally came to a close. In his opinion, it hadn't ended a moment too soon; any longer, and he might have screamed with the tension that his little one was creating for him. _You know, I asked you to dance for me ... not to try to bring me to -_

_**Finish that statement and I won't dance for you ever again.**_

_Well, shit._ He heard Yuugi's soft laughter in his head and smiled to himself as he made his way past the celebrating students. They had done above and beyond what they had estimated, and many were trying to stop him to celebrate with them, but he just shook his head, muttering something about needing to get home. It was a lie, of course, but none of _them_ needed to known that. He really just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible so that he could focus his attention on his life-giver again. _Alright then, I'll be good._ More laughter, and his heart fluttered some at the sound. _For now,_ he added with a mental smirk. 

He walked in silence, enjoying the happiness that his little one was exuding before prodding gently, _So, tell me, do you do it on purpose?_ A soft hum of acknowledgement greeted him, and he continued. _I know you don't just accidentally have me feel every movement when you dance._

_**Gee, you think?**_ There was humor in the boy's tone, and Atemu held onto his laugh at it. You're the one who told me to dance for you, though. _**Dug your own grave there, pharaoh dearest.**_

_Do I sense hostility?_ he asked lightly, not meaning a word of the question; Yuugi knew that well. _Well, so much for having an innocent lover ..._ If Yuugi were able to smack him while he wasn't in the boy's soul room, he knew that statement would have gotten him a huge one right across the face, likely complete with a red imprint on his cheek that wouldn't go away for an hour or two. 

He continued walking, not paying too much attention to where he was going. He was content to just enjoy the feel of Yuugi pressing against him again; he'd get home when he got home, after all. It wasn't too late just yet, so it wouldn't worry Yuugi's grandfather too badly if he took a little extra time in getting there. 

Had he been paying attention, he may have been able to avoid it however. One moment, he was walking with no trouble; the next, he found himself on the ground with a pale boy with white hair reaching to his mid-back sprawled before him. 

"I ... oh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I �" the boy looked over as he spoke and choked on the words he was saying, cheeks tinting a very becoming shade of pink. Atemu couldn't help but find himself amused at the startled look on the other's face as he stood and offered the boy a hand to help him back up. "I'm terribly sorry, it was completely my fault. I was just distracted, and ... um ... you see, I ..." 

"It's not a problem," Atemu reassured him with a smile, feeling Yuugi huff jealously in his mind. A soothing wave was sent to his partner as he continued, "I wasn't really looking where I was going, either." 

_**You're flirting! I'm right here and you're flirting!**_ Yuugi cried out, not enjoying Atemu's attempt to placate him one bit. He huffed again, annoyance coloring his every twitch, and he made sure that his other self could feel it perfectly. 

_Yuugi, I would never cheat on you. You know that!_ he sent back lovingly. _I'm just trying to be polite. Besides, he's frightened, it's only proper to not make that situation worse by scaring him further._ He once again returned his attention to the white-haired teenager, smiling kindly. "I don't think I've seen you around here before ... are you from this school?" 

"Not yet ..." the boy murmured, looking away as his blush deepened. "I ... I just moved to the area, so I haven't started school here yet. I wanted to see what the festival was like, though. It sounded like it would be fun ..." He seemed to find the ground extremely interesting. "I ... m-my name is Bakura Ryou." He looked up finally, a shy smile on his lips. 

"Mutou Yuugi," Atemu barely managed to get the words out through the anger that Yuugi was radiating towards him. _Yuugi, stop it! I love **you**! I'm not going to cheat on you, my partner, so please don't be so mad at me for making a friend. I'm doing this for you._

"I ..." Ryou looked away again, blush deepening. "I saw you singing up there ..." He motioned vaguely towards the area that class 1-B had been assigned, and Atemu held back a chuckle. 

_**I knew it! See, you're playing right into his hands! He wants you! He wants to steal you away from me!**_

_Yuugi, since when are you so mistrusting ...?_ He sent another loving wave to his little one, murmuring gently to him, _You're the only one that there will ever be in my eyes. You're the most important person in the world. You're my sun and my moon, my earth and my sky. You're everything to me, Yuugi. So please believe in me._ Slowly, he felt his partner calm down, and a small smile touched his lips. "Thank you," he said honestly, and he noted that the boy's blush deepened. _Would you be willing to help me find out how to get him over his crush at some point?_ There was no answer beyond gentle pressure against him; Atemu took that to mean that Yuugi agreed to his request. 

Ryou looked up at him, his shy smile tugging at his lips again as he tilted his head. "It ... it's nice to meet you, Mutou-san." He looked down, murmuring, "I was afraid I might have to start school here without knowing anyone at all. It would have been so ... daunting for me." He blushed again. "Sounds stupid, huh ...?" 

"Not really. Entering a new situation alone can do that to anyone." Ryou looked up again, his smile a bit wider and brighter this time. 

"Thank you, Mutou-san!" He bowed slightly. "I'm sorry for bumping into you, and for taking up so much of your time like this. It was really lovely meeting you." As he spoke, Atemu felt something odd in the air. It was almost a needle prick in the back of his mind, and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. All he knew was that it didn't seem to be from the boy himself; something near him, perhaps, but not Ryou. It both confused and worried him at the same time. Looking at the boy curiously for a moment, he realized that Ryou had no idea about the power that was originating from something very near him. "I hope that we can see each other again. Maybe when I start school here?" 

Atemu smiled, nodding at him. "That would be nice, Bakura-kun," he replied. "Until we meet again, then." A slight bow as he began to continue on his way. He noted the boy's smile and the slightly dazed look in his eyes, and chuckled mentally. _Crushes truly are a funny thing, don't you think, my partner?_

There was no reply to the question, and Atemu frowned to himself, pausing. 

Slowly, he took a step forward, venturing another prod towards his beloved life-giver. _Yuugi?_ Still, there was no reply; Atemu felt worry creep through him. _Yuugi, you aren't still mad at me, are you?_ Again, the boy remained silent, and he felt his frustration mounting. It wasn't like Yuugi to remain so silent on him. Something had to be wrong, and he was pretty sure that it had nothing to do with his little one being annoyed over someone else having a crush on him. _Yuugi?_ he questioned, allowing his concern to color his thoughts. 

Once more, no reply. He didn't like the way that this was turning out at all. His mind raced, and he thought to the odd feeling he'd had when Bakura Ryou was speaking. It hadn't been the boy, that much he knew; the power was dark, and seemed to come of its own accord. It wasn't something that someone normally consciously controlled, and it would have been plainly evident to him if the boy had been doing it. 

It was a familiar power, nonetheless. He knew it; he'd felt it before. His hand reached to the puzzle that hung from his neck, and he frowned. _So similar to ..._ His eyebrows furrowed, and then he took off at a dead run. He had to investigate. He had to get home as soon as he possibly could. 

He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that something very terrible had happened to his life-giver, something unforgivable. He knew that it had something to do with the Items, he just couldn't figure out exactly _what_ it had to do with them. But, more than that, more than needing to know what it had to do with them, he needed to know just what had happened to Yuugi. He had to find him, and fast, before anything irreversible happened to his young love. 

_A seal ... a very powerful seal. I know this power ... which one of them has done this? Why can't I pinpoint it anymore ...?_ he thought angrily, moving as fast as he could through the streets of Domino towards Yuugi's home. He needed to be within the confines of the boy's bedroom in order to search for him; he couldn't just let Yuugi's body collapse on the street while he ran about his beloved's mind. _Has it been so long that I can't remember which Item has the power of this sort of seal?_

He burst through the door of the house, slowing himself to a more natural walk so as not to worry Yuugi's grandfather. He took his shoes off, muttering an, "I'm home," before making his way up the stairs as fast as he could without seeming like something was wrong. He closed the door to Yuugi's room, locking it without so much as a second thought. He needed privacy, and he didn't need the boy's grandfather coming in and worrying when he found 'his grandson' lying motionless once again. _That boy holds an Item; that much I can tell. But he doesn't control it. If anything, it is controlling itself, and partially controlling him, more than likely against his will._

He frowned, closing his eyes. _But I can deal with that later. Right now ... right now, Yuugi needs me. He needs me to find him, to save him._ He allowed himself to slip into the unconscious state that would let him into his mind. _I only hope I'm not too late._

- - -

"Yuugi ..." He took off at a dead run through the corridor, panic rushing through his whole being. _He can't be gone ... he just **can't** be._ Crimson eyes were filled with fear, pupils constricted with his alarm; he felt like a deer trapped in the headlights of a car as he ran towards the door to Yuugi's soul room. The corridor seemed to stretch forever, and he felt as though he would never make it in time. "_Please_, my partner, answer me! Please be here!" His hand flew to the handle of the door and he thrust it open with all of his might. 

A strangled, sickened, choked out sob escaped him as his vision focused on what lay before him. The calm bedroom that he had spent so much time in with his beloved was gone, torn to shreds. The walls were jagged, like a child's blocks placed haphazardly together in a toddler's interpretation of a building. Ledges jutted out dangerously, and the floor held equally dangerous, gaping holes. Still, he forced himself forward, even noting that the room had grown to tremendous proportions. There was something to the air, something that he couldn't quite place. He was quite certain that he didn't _want_ to place it, however. One step forward. The door closed forbiddingly behind him. 

"Yuugi!" Despair colored his voice as he screamed out for his young life-giver. He wanted the boy back - _needed_ the boy back - more than anything else in the world. 

There was no reply. Another step forward; his gaze turned to the left, towards the bed that he had held his partner on every night since the puzzle had been completed. Tears stung at his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. The mattress was gutted, torn through by what seemed to be many claws. Blood littered the shredded sheets and comforter. He forced his gaze away, towards where the desk should have been, only to find that it, too, was destroyed; shattered beyond repair, now in a heap of sticks and splinters of wood. It was almost more than he could bear, but he steeled his courage, knowing that he had to put the images before him behind himself if he intended to see his life-giver again. 

Another step still, careful this time as he moved around the edge of one of the small chasms in the floor. His heart felt constricted, and he fought back the bile that was rising within him. The only thing that he wanted to do was to find his little one and change the twisted mockery of his soul room back to the gentle bedroom that it was supposed to be. _What caused this? Why did it change so drastically? And **where the fuck** has my little one been taken!_ He growled low in his throat. 

An opening in the wall caught his attention, and he frowned, sniffing the air lightly, nearly gagging as the coppery scent of blood assaulted him. _No ..._ He rushed towards the hole, making his way through it nimbly, only to be faced with a room that seemed as though it was frozen within a cyclone. He frowned, reaching up to touch one of the floating games, pulling his hand back quickly from the intense heat rippling off of the object. "Yuugi ..." he choked out, noticing the red liquid dripping from the edges of each object. Whoever it was that had caused his little one's disappearance had done a thorough job of it, from what Atemu could tell. It was too much to hope that whoever it was had no idea about his existence and connection to the boy; it was almost plainly evident that the action of ripping Yuugi from him had been done purposefully. He winced as he took a step forward, knowing that the blood coating the floor belonged to his beloved. 

"Yuugi ... I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry ..." he whispered, falling to his knees. "I promised you the world ... I promised you protection and a good life. I'm so sorry." Tears fell from closed crimson eyes. He didn't pay any heed to the blood soaking into his pants as he wept for the loss of his partner, the one person who meant the most to him; the one person who meant more to him than his own life. _How could I let this happen? How could I have been so **careless**! Was I so caught up in everything else? Why did I pay more attention to others, to people who mean nothing, people who have done nothing but harm my little one, than I did to Yuugi? If I'd listened to him, if I'd just ignored what I'd heard instead of letting it consume my thoughts ... he'd still ..._ He shook his head, ridding himself of the thoughts. _No. It won't do to dwell on the mistakes of the past. What matters is the present and the future. **Finding** Yuugi is what matters, not how I managed to lose him. And I **will** find him._

He growled softly, rising from his knees, eyes snapping open and glowing with his lust to tear the heart out of whomever it was that had caused such suffering to his beloved life-giver. Yuugi, _his_ Yuugi, did not deserve such pain. He looked around himself, backing out of the frozen cyclonic cavern and returning to the initial, torn bedroom. His eyes scanned the room once more. Now that he looked carefully, there appeared to be blood everywhere: splattered upon the chaotically placed blocks of the walls, trailing as though painted in some areas. It was even pooled on the floor, drawn along it around the gaps, as though a body had been dragged there. 

Trails of blood, everywhere. It sickened him and shattered his heart into a million pieces, as though it were made of glass. His love - his brave, caring love � was in danger, and he couldn't even find him. He felt worthless, useless. And yet, he knew. Every moment that he spent lamenting his loss was another moment that put his Yuugi in danger. All that he could do now was follow the trails left for him, like a man with no home and no purpose. Like a man who had lost everything. 

Somehow, it was no comfort. And the trails continued to mock his loss, telling him that he would never find that which he was searching for. 

The pools and trails of blood grew, the splatters multiplied, and all he knew was despair; he was unable to shake the feeling that he had lost Yuugi forever. He went numb as he continued on, searching to no avail. 

A scream tore from his throat, and Atemu collapsed again into the pools of blood. 

- - -

**Disclaimer:** Yuugiou is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. I do not claim any right to the series or its characters, and I should probably apologize for the hell I'm likely to be putting them through in this story. 


	5. Chapter 5: Paranoia

**If the World Doesn't Want Me**   
Paranoia   
by Josie

Dark. 

Everything was cold, damp. He shuddered, a torn sob tearing free from his throat as he remained on his knees, blood soaking into him. Anger coursed through his body, through every cell of his being, screaming at him to get up, to find who had caused the situation that he was caught in, and to tear them apart, piece by piece; to make them pay for causing such harm to his perfect beloved. Another scream, incoherent. His mind raced, demanding that he continue his search, telling him that his partner _needed_ him, but he couldn't find the strength. 

Blood. 

He was sitting in what was practically a river of human life's most vital fluid, _Yuugi's_ most vital fluid. Deep ruby stained his fingers and clothes, matting into his hair as it dripped slowly from the ceiling to splash upon the pools along the floor. _Drip_. He shuddered with each one. 

_He's left me ..._ He couldn't believe that it had happened, didn't want to believe that it had happened, but there was no other explanation to be found. His beloved was gone in spite of all that he had tried to do for him. _Was I never good enough?_ He raised a fist before angrily slamming it down onto the floor, barely flinching as the blood splattered up at him, onto him. "Yuugi!" His voice echoed eerily back to him, taunting him with each time it reverberated off of imperfect walls. He could scream all that he wanted to, but Yuugi would not hear him; Yuugi would not respond. _No ..._

Something pricked at him, however, begging him to give it attention. Crimson eyes burning with the lust for revenge snapped open before narrowing dangerously. _Who's there? Who is it?_

_**Please ...**_ A soft whimper, barely loud enough for him to register at all. He shot up immediately. The voice was more than familiar; it was practically burned into every small piece of his being. The voice that floated to him was that of his beloved. He shot up instantly, looking around himself cautiously, not quite sure what he should be expecting. Something was amiss, and he didn't want to fall victim to whatever it was - _couldn't_ fall victim to whatever it was - if he intended to save Yuugi. 

"If he's not in here, then ..." He turned to look at the door of Yuugi's soul room, taking calculated steps towards it. His hand stretched out before him, closing around the handle of the door, slowly pulling, only to have the entire thing crumble under the pressure; he winced at the thought of what that might mean for Yuugi before warily stepping over the debris and moving out into the hallway. Crimson eyes scanned the area for any clues that he could find; when he'd passed through earlier, the only thought he'd had was to get to Yuugi's soul room as quickly as possible. He hadn't bothered to note any details about the corridor. 

He could have kicked himself for that when he noticed the blood trailed along the floor where a body had been tugged along viciously. He growled low in his throat, following the blood-covered road to see where it ended up, stopping short when he realized that it lead straight to the Millennium Puzzle. _No! He ... he's not strong enough to withstand what might await him in there! Not yet!_

He wasted no time in bursting through the door of the Puzzle - his half of Yuugi's heart - and following the still-present trail. It was strange, though; the blood seemed to trail into every doorway that he passed. _That can't be right. There's no way that he could have been dragged into every room._ He frowned, closing his eyes in an attempt to focus his attention so that he could determine the proper door. _They're illusions. The majority of these doors don't even exist._ He growled softly, refraining from opening his eyes and kicking the nearest wall in frustration. _What I wouldn't do to have the Ring for its tracking right now._

He took a step forward, eyes still closed, listening closely. "Yuugi ... I know you're here. Call to me, love." 

_**Please ... help me ...**_ More desperate than before; the sound tore through Atemu's heart like the sharpest of knives. His head turned to the side, and he took a step in that direction, hand reaching out blinding to come in contact with a door. 

_Please let this be the one ..._ He refused to open his eyes as the door slowly slip open. Really, he didn't need to; the moment that the door was open, the coppery scent of excess spilled blood assaulted him, worse and fresher than when he had been in Yuugi's soul room. He suppressed his shudder as he slowly peeled his eyes open. 

Nothing could have prepared him for the sight before him. 

There, suspended from the ceiling, was his beloved life-giver; his eyes were closed, his entire body slack and lifeless. Blood dripped down his skin, sliding over exposed flesh, drenching torn clothing. It fell to the floor in sickening droplets that landed in a churning 'plunk,' over and over again, slowly, maddeningly. He wanted to turn away - wanted to wake up from the nightmare - but he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was no nightmare. This was where his other half truly was; destroyed nearly to the point of no return. 

Once-blonde bangs were matted to the boy's forehead, now colored a rusted orange. Thin trails of copper-red fell from his lips, dribbled haphazardly down his chin, intermixed with small, splattered spots; lines falling to his throat, which was bitten into by sharp wire. The skin squeezed together, breaking in areas in such a way that he couldn't help but wince at seeing. Yuugi's wrists, held out from his body so that his arms were held perpendicular to the rest of him, were in the same state. Wire held him firmly in place, his head hanging forward. The blood continued to fall. 

_It's too much ... he's lost too much ..._ Tears stung his eyes, and Atemu did nothing to stop them from falling. Even a powerful pharaoh had his limits; even a god would crumble at the sight of his beloved in such a state. Whoever had caused this pain to his little one had known his weakness very well. They had discovered it quickly and used it against him; this was not some casual attack. It was an invitation to war. _Even if we are within his heart ... that kind of blood loss to his spirit is fatal._

He stepped forward, flinching as Yuugi's blood trickled onto his skin. He looked up, sadness permeating his entire stature, and he reached his left hand up to his beloved helplessly. "Yuugi ... Yuugi, I'm so ..." A mocking, psychotic cackle filtered through the air, and Atemu snapped to attention, looking around himself quickly to assess the danger. He knew the laugh; he'd heard it before. And yet, for the life of him, he could not place it. "Who's there?" 

"Bloodthirsty Pharaoh! How do you like it? Isn't he more to your liking now? A vision in crimson blood, just how you always wanted everyone to be!" 

A low growl escaped him, and he was hard pressed to contain himself from lashing out at anything he could. "How _dare_ you! Who are you? I command you to show yourself!" 

The sickening cackling continued, and Atemu clenched a fist in anger, willing himself to keep his cool. "You command me?" the voice asked sardonically. "Do you really think that matters? Do you think you have any say in what I do? Fool of a pharaoh." 

"I am in no mood for your games." 

"I'd imagine you wouldn't be." He flinched as he heard a wire snap, and his eyes were immediately upon Yuugi's figure as the boy's right arm dropped down to hang limply at his side. "How does it feel, pharaoh, losing the one who is most important to you? Suffer." Another snap; Yuugi's left arm now hung at his side as lifelessly as his right. "Suffer as I have suffered at the hands of your bloodline!" 

Atemu barely had time to react as the wire around Yuugi's neck snapped and his little one plummeted from the ceiling and into his arms. He held Yuugi close, tighter than he ever had before, not wanting to ever let go._ Yuugi ... please wake up. Please be alright. I need you. I need you so much._ He looked up, scanning the room. "It was you, wasn't it? It hadn't been Yuugi at all when I was talking with Bakura-kun." 

"So perceptive. But too little too late, I'm afraid, little pharaoh." 

"Your tricks will get you nowhere, tomb robber!" He clutched Yuugi closer to himself, brainstorming on just how he could save his little one. "But I see that you're still up to your old tricks: hiding in the shadows and stealing that which doesn't belong to you, up to and including the body of an innocent! An innocent who likely would want nothing to do with you, I'm sure." 

"My host won't be able to resist. And you will find no way to escape your destruction, pharaoh. I'll tear you apart just as easily as I destroyed your little toy there." The voice was smug, and he wished that the white-haired thief was truly there in the room so that he could strangle him. 

"My partner is not destroyed. I'll save him yet." There was no response, and Atemu realized that the tomb robber had left. _He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day, huh?_ He shook his head, knowing that the phrase suited the boy who had named himself the king of thieves during his reign in Kemet all too well. Still, it wasn't quite as important to him as the boy in his arms. Yuugi needed his help, and he needed it fast. He could puzzle out the intricacies of whatever plot the tomb robber had concocted in his insane attempts at revenge after he had made sure that Yuugi was alright. 

_How did I not see it? I should have known immediately which Item could place such a seal; the Ring is the only one that had that kind of power. Why couldn't I remember? Was it merely that I didn't expect to see him here? Was it because I didn't expect that he had been sealed within the Ring as I had been sealed within the Puzzle?_ He frowned to himself, running his fingers through hair matted by dried and drying blood, biting his lip lightly as he pulled a few tangles from it. _But that doesn't explain how he was able to send thoughts to me that made me think he was Yuugi. And that certainly does not explain how he was able to grab Yuugi out of his soul room and harm him in such a way, not to mention bring him into **here** of all places._

He lifted the boy into his arms, slowly walking from the room, willing the blood off of the surfaces within the Puzzle. It wouldn't do to have it there, not while he was focusing on cleaning his beloved. 

He continued onward, to a room that he knew fairly well; a bedroom much like the one he had been privileged to have as pharaoh. Gently, he placed Yuugi onto the bed, looking down at him before concentrating and conjuring up a basin of water and a clean cloth. _I need to clean these wounds._

Timidly, he brushed his fingers over Yuugi's wounds; feather-light touches preceding the use of a now-wet cloth to clean the boy's skin of the blood that covered it so completely. He leaned in, brushing his lips over Yuugi's, cringing at the metallic taste of the blood dried there. _"Bloodthirsty Pharaoh," he said ... but if I were so bloodthirsty, wouldn't I enjoy the taste more?_ He frowned as he pulled back, crimson eyes scanning over Yuugi's body worriedly. _And yet ... don't I have a sick sort of bloodlust? Why does it confuse me to be called bloodthirsty when I know that about myself? Was I ...? Why is it that the only actions that I can remember in regards to my people are those that were done against criminals?_

Nothing made sense anymore, and his thoughts were a whirl in his head. He wanted to get more information, but he didn't know where he would be able to find it at the moment. Any search would leave Yuugi vulnerable, and he did not want to risk that, not so soon after finding him. Not while he was in such an awful position. 

He continued to press gently at the cuts along his little one's body, the lines where the wires had bitten into his skin so fiercely. Murmured words to the shadows, asking for their help in healing his beloved; cuts faded to give way to smooth skin once more, and he smiled gently. "You'll rest here for now, my love. I won't let you go into your soul room with it looking as it does now." He ran his fingers through Yuugi's blood-caked hair once more. "I'll need you awake again to fix that, unfortunately," he said with a sigh, not liking that he was unable to fix one of the biggest problems that they had. "But, in here, you're safe. I can keep you protected if you are within my half of our heart for now." 

He wondered if he should find a way to wash Yuugi's body off more fully, to get the dried blood off of him, but decided against it for the moment. He didn't want to jostle the fresh healing that he had placed on his partner, nor was he sure that he could personally handle it at the moment. The shock of not being able to communicate with Yuugi, followed by the discovery of his decimated soul room, and concluded with the discovery of his beloved's wrecked body; it was too much for him to try to accomplish anything else for the day, if he was perfectly honest. He lay beside his love, pulling Yuugi into a warm, protective embrace. 

"I'm going to protect you against everyone," he whispered. "Please forgive me for not keeping my promise before." He pressed a kiss onto Yuugi's cheek, allowing tears to fall once more as the events of the evening finally came crashing into him with full force. "I'm so sorry, Yuugi. I'm so sorry for letting this happen, for nearly losing you for good. For everything. I love you ... I need you. Please be alright." 

He closed his eyes, tears sliding against Yuugi's skin, and he suppressed his shudder at the fact that his beloved did not snuggle closer to him as he so longed for. Yuugi was not in control of himself at the moment; his strength was depleted in ways that he would not recover from so quickly and readily. He needed time, no matter how much Atemu wanted him awake right at that moment. He didn't want to wait, but he knew that he had no choice but to. 

He tightened his embrace. "I'm here. I'll always be here." He kissed Yuugi's cheek again. "No matter who comes after me, no matter how many mysteries involve me, I will be here with you. No matter what aspect of my past comes back to try to pull me away, I will remain with you. And, somehow, I will help you to get better." 

He laid Yuugi's head onto his chest and looked down at the boy, watching his motionless slumber; he watched as his beloved's spirit body slowly regained strength, one small bit at a time. _I'll be here, always. When you wake up, I will be here for you, so please relax and recover. I want to see you again. I want **you** to see me again._ A small smile touched his lips, and he brushed Yuugi's bangs back lovingly. 

A thought drifted through him, and he smiled to himself, remembering the day that he had told Yuugi to sleep, and had ended up watching the boy for more hours than he could remember. He remembered Yuugi's restlessness, and how he had calmed when Atemu had hummed a gentle tune for him. _Trying never hurt anyone,_ he mused. 

A low, soft hum escaped him, in a song slower, sadder, gentler, and filled with more love than the one he had used the last time. It was a long shot, a small wisp of a hope, but he couldn't help but hold onto it; somehow, he just felt within himself that it would help Yuugi recover. 

At the moment, he was more than willing to give any method a chance. 

- - -

_'My dearest sister, Amane,'_

He stared blankly at the sheet of paper before him, tapping the end of the pen that he held lightly against the table. His thoughts were scattered, and he was unsure of just what he should write. _What would Amane like to hear about from me, I wonder? Maybe I should tell her about the festival ..._ He frowned, eyes becoming distant as he thought about the events that had occurred earlier that day; he couldn't shake the feeling that he _knew_ Mutou Yuugi from somewhere, despite the fact that they had just met for the first time that day, nor could he forget the fear he had felt at that cold, detached voice within his head; a voice vaguely reminiscent of his own, and yet entirely different at the same time. 

His attention returned to the letter that he was attempting to write. 

_'I moved into my new apartment a few days ago. It took me some time to get settled in completely, but I think that I'm all set now. It's ... I don't know, kind of lonely, I guess. Much too big for just one person, but father refused to let me have a small place. He said that I needed the room for all of my things, and then pointed out that, with a bigger apartment, I'd be able to have more friends over and keep my Monster World set up. I really do appreciate the sentiment; he is only looking out for my best interests, after all, and I know that he just doesn't want me to be lonely, but I'm not sure just how many friends I will be able to make. People aren't always so accepting of people like me, as I'm sure you remember. Besides, there still is that rumor about me ...'_

He stopped, lifting his pen again, biting the end of it idly. He'd told his sister about how he had been put into so many dangerous situations because of his personal preferences with regards to love so many times in his letters. He had been in tears while writing one of the letters, in fact; on the way home that day, he had been cornered by some of the other boys from school. They had taunted him, pulling at his hair as they punched his stomach, telling him that the world did not need such feminine boys; they had said that they didn't want him anywhere near them, looking at them with those eyes that cried out for how much he wanted to marry them. They had called him disgusting; a freak of nature. 

The ironic part was that they weren't his type at all. He had never really been very attracted to those who were prone to physical abuse; people who felt that they way to show their worth was to show that they were able to destroy those who just happened to have the misfortune to be physically weaker than them. He was more drawn to a person who had an air of mystery to them; someone who might listen to him when he talked, instead of instantly judging him for his preferences. 

He'd only ever met one person before who had really fit everything that he found ideal, during one of his breaks from school that he had gone to visit his father in Egypt. It was a boy a few months younger than him, who seemed to have a hidden anger within him that Ryou had been unable to place. They had spent some time together, becoming friends fairly quickly; neither had really ever managed to have many friends in the past, so the companionship was more than welcome for both of them. He still remembered his friend very well, and the other boy's family. 

He frowned again, thinking on that matter; he couldn't quite remember when he'd received word from that family last. 

_'Do you know what I realized the other day? I haven't heard from my friends from Egypt for a while. I hope that nothing has happened to them. It's hard to get in contact with them when I'm so far away from them now. I miss them. Not quite as much as I miss you, of course. I hate having to be separated from you, my little sister. _

'But I'm getting away from myself, aren't I? I'm getting off on a tangent instead of discussing how things have been going. 

'The reason that I had to move in the first place was because it happened again. I wish that it hadn't, I really didn't want to move. I liked my last school, and I'd even made some really nice friends. But something happened to them; they all ended up in the hospital again, just like the schools before that. What's wrong with me? Why is it that everyone I get close to ends up hurt? 

'Are they right about me? Am I a monster?' 

He closed his eyes, backing away from the desk some. He didn't want his tears falling onto the letter that he was writing; it wouldn't do to have his younger sister see how upset it really made him to have others make such accusations against him. He just wanted to fit in. He wanted people to like him. 

Crazed laughter hit him again, much like it had earlier that day at the festival, and he shuddered, looking around himself frantically. "Who's there?" Brown eyes scanned the room, only to find nothing. His frown grew curious, and he stood some. "Hello? Is there someone there?" Still, there was no response, and he settled himself back into the chair. Just my imagination ...? His attention refocused on the letter. 

_'I went to see the festival at the high school that I will be attending today, by the way. It was really nice to see all of the ideas that the students had come up with for their class, and the food was **really** delicious. And, yes, I know how you always make fun of me for the fact that I love food so much, but how can I help but indulge at an event such as that? I especially loved the class that was serving desserts. _

'But, more than that, there was one class that was just amazing ... class 1-B. They put on a concert, and it was just breathtaking. I ... 

'Well, I guess it won't come as too much of a surprise that I found their singer to be absolutely amazing. He had the most perfect voice, and I fell under its spell so easily. It helps that he was really cute, too. Well, not exactly cute, per say; he was more ... I don't know, just completely striking. He had the most enthralling eyes, a deep crimson finer than even the most precious rubies. But I'm running away with my fantasies again. 

'I met him on the way home tonight. Well, rather, I ran right into him because I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. He seemed nice enough, though, so maybe I can become friends with him. I think I'd really like that; the chance to have a really good, nice friend at my new school. And, if nothing else, at least I'll know someone when I start school on Monday.' 

He paused in his writing again, reading over what he had written. _It's been a long time since I wrote a letter to her, hasn't it? There really is so much to catch up on,_ he thought idly. The laughter hit him again, and he felt his spine stiffen impossibly. He looked around again, standing fully from his chair and putting the pen down as he cautiously made his way through the apartment. _That's strange; I could swear that I didn't hear the door open. How could someone have gotten in?_ He managed to keep his wits about him as he continued making his way through the rooms. "Is there someone here?" he asked, voice shaking ever-so-slightly. "Please answer me!" 

_**Oh, there's someone here, frightened little host,**_ came the ominous voice from earlier that day, reverberating within his skull. _**But I'm not here quite in the way that you would like to think.**_

He jumped, pressing his back against the wall and peeking around himself with wide, chocolate brown eyes. Shivers worked down his spine in constant motion as he continued to scan his apartment. "What are you talking about?" 

_**I've been with you for a long time,**_ the voice continued, the edge of insanity still biting against Ryou with each word. He shivered again. 

_Is this the reason why ... is this why all of my friends end up hurt?_ Ryou pressed himself against the wall as much as he possibly could, fear rushing through him at the prospect that someone had been with him without him noticing; that someone might have been harming anyone that he got close to. "No ... you couldn't have ..." 

_,b>Afraid, host? Afraid because I'm not pure and perfect like your precious Mutou Yuugi?_ Dark laughter. Ryou felt his eyes widen to impractical proportions at the mention of the other boy's name, and he couldn't help but worry for the one who he had fallen so quickly for. _**Yes, perfect little Yuugi. He was a fun one for me.**_

"No ..." 

_**And he likely will want nothing to do with you now. After all, he's lost something very dear to him because of you.**_

"What have you done!" Panic crept through him, and he tried his hardest to fight it down. If this was the reason for all of his friends being harmed, then he feared that Yuugi might be in serious danger. If he could do nothing else, he wanted to at least get some answers; it might be the only way to save the other boy, after all. Still, Bakura Ryou had never been the most confrontational person that the world had ever seen, and, more likely than not, he was by no means frightening to what he could only assume was someone with a severe case of psychosis. "What have you done to him?" He fought to keep his voice from wavering. _Please not Mutou-san ... he was so nice to me, in spite of my knocking him over._

_**I've done nothing. It was you, after all.**_ Ryou opened his mouth to protest the words, never for one moment finding it strange that he was arguing with what appeared to be thin air. He supposed that he probably should have; if anything, it was at the very least a sign that he needed more sleep than he had been getting recently. It could have even meant that he'd lost his mind as he had probably been expected to ever since he'd lost his mother and sister. It didn't faze him, however. It seemed perfect natural, in an odd sort of way; in a way that made his skin crawl at the thought, as he couldn't understand why he was hearing someone who seemed so openly malicious in the first place. _**It was you, host, so don't try to say that it wasn't. After all ... I am a part of you.**_

Slow, shaky breaths; his mind was racing at the accusation that the voice was making at him. _I can't ... I can't have someone like that as a part of me. It can't be possible._ He shook his head, needing the physical action to deny what he was being told. "No! I would never hurt someone like that. I would never take something they hold dear away from them." 

_**You're the one who was there.**_

The words echoed in his mind as he tried to come up with an answer; coherent thoughts would not form. His hands went to the sides of his head, pressing down and holding as though such an action would gather his thoughts and make the hateful voice quiet down. He didn't want to hear it speaking such words, blaming whatever it had done � whatever it _would_ do � on him. He had never wanted to bring harm to anyone; all that he had ever wanted was to have some friends who would not betray him, friends that he would not lose. He was so very lonely. 

_**It's all your fault, little host.**_ Ryou shook his head again, hands pressing firmly over his ears in an attempt to block out the cruel words; an attempt to block out that cold, uncaring voice. A helpless scream tore from his throat, and the sinister laughter sounded again, sending the white-haired teenager to his knees in a quivering mass. _**Don't you realize just how twisted you truly are?**_

He curled up more tightly, small tremors coursing over his body still as he pulled into the smallest ball that he possibly could. "No ... it's not true. I'm not ..." 

_**You wanted them with you forever. You wanted your games to continue on for as long as possible.**_ A soft whimper in response to the unfeeling, blunt words. _**Wasn't that your wish?**_

_Not like that ... I didn't want my friends hurt ..._ He shivered again, shaking his head, hands still over his ears. "No ... no, it wasn't me ..." He whimpered again, pulling his limbs to himself even more tightly. "I didn't want them hurt! What did you do to them?" Tears stung at his eyes again, and he was unable to stop them from falling, despite his wish to not show his weakness. "Why have they all been hurt ...?" he questioned in a whisper that barely reached even his own ears. 

_**I did nothing nearly as bad as what your precious Yuugi is to face.**_

His head snapped up at that, pupils contracting with his fear at the words that had been uttered, not wanting to imagine what could have happened to the boy that he had developed such quick feelings for. "What have you done to Mutou-san?" 

There was no response beyond cruel, mocking cackling shooting through his head that died away slowly. 

He remained in his protective, curled up state for what could have been anywhere from a minute to an hour; he wasn't sure himself, and he was only positive that he didn't want to know the truth. Slowly, carefully, he unfurled himself, standing with as much grace as he could muster in his current frame of mind. The words from that disembodied voice taunted him, running through his head indefinitely. He wanted to think of anything but those words, but could not get them out of mind, despite his attempts. _Why am I always so weak against these problems?_ he berated himself silently. 

Gradually, he dragged himself to his desk again, almost slower than a snail. His feet trailed along the floor, never really lifting off of the smooth wood as he neared the chair once again, allowing himself to collapse into it limply. His pupils were still constricted as he stared ahead of himself, brown eyes wide with shock over the knowledge that some ill fate might have befallen his newest acquaintance. _My fault ...?_

His breath came in short gasps, and he shivered with a frost that didn't come from the room itself; his apartment was truly warmer than he would have liked, normally, but all of the heat in the world would not warm him at that moment. Another whimper escaped him as a lone tear traveled down the curve of his cheek. _Is it my fault? Is Mutou-san in pain because of me; because he met me?_ He didn't want to believe it, but the thoughts would not leave him. For all that he knew, the blame was on him; it always had been. _Were they right, then? Am I really the monster that they accused me of being?_ Another shudder; he sniffled as a second tear trailed down to follow the past of the first. He didn't want to believe that his former classmates had been correct, but he couldn't see how they would be wrong after what he had heard. 

He reached up, wiping the tears from his eyes before looking back at the unfinished letter. In an attempt to calm his nerves, he picked up his pen once more, slowly and carefully writing the last few lines to his little sister; the only words that he could see as being able to redeem him at that moment. 

_'I miss you, Amane. Always keep in mind that, no matter what, your big brother loves you and will never forget you. _

'Regards,   
Ryou' 

- - -

_Is this the edge of the earth?_ He shifted in his sleep, arm wrapping firmly around the one he shared his bed with as he rolled towards the other. A small smile graced his lips, and he sighed contentedly, pulling his companion closer to himself. _So worn out ..._ His brow furrowed, and he pressed his face closer to the other's neck; he felt as though he'd walked for miles and collapsed when he'd finally run out of energy. His strength had been stolen from him, and he couldn't quite remember just why that was so. _Corridor ... I remember running through it. And then voids. Gaping voids everywhere._ He sniffed, not opening his eyes, and a pungent, coppery scent assaulted him. _Blood?_ He frowned, noting that it had a faint touch of rust to it, the way that a large amount of dried blood would if left to sit for any period of time. _Old blood._

Unable to push the scent from his attention, he knew that sleep would not be attained again until he saw what his surroundings held for him. Slowly, his eyes opened, and he blinked the sleep from them before looking at his companion carefully, wincing as memories flooded him upon seeing the once soft hair now hardened by the rust-colored, dried blood. "Yuugi ..." he whispered fearfully, timidly reaching a hand to the boy's face and brushing his fingers reverently over a pale cheek. _I have to clean this off of him._

He pulled away from the boy before sliding off of the bed and stretching languidly; his eyes never left his beloved's face. He smiled gently at Yuugi's resting form, glad that he had been able to find the other. He had, after all, been so terrified that he might never see his life-giver again. He bent carefully, lifting the smaller teenager into his arms before starting towards a gentle archway. He hummed softly, an attempt to soothe his hurt love, as he walked towards the next room, once more pleased with the fact that this particular room was designed to be like the one he'd had as pharaoh. It did, after all, make things that much easier on him as he moved around to care for his precious Yuugi. 

His thoughts wandered to the tub sunken into the floor, willing it to fill with warm water before gently placing Yuugi beside it, removing his own clothes before carefully stripping Yuugi of his blood-soaked and torn garments. Slipping into the water, he let out a soft sigh of pleasure before very carefully pulling his life-giver in with him. He was careful with Yuugi's body, not pressing his hands too roughly upon it for fear that he might upset the boy's wounds; he also took note of the fact that, because Yuugi was not awake, he would have to make sure that he didn't let the boy slip under the water for too long. It was one of the trickier aspects of dealing with soul rooms, he'd discovered: despite the fact that the actual body was not placed in danger, one could die from accidents within their own soul room. 

His fingers ran through Yuugi's hair as he carefully dipped the teenager into the water, wincing as bits of dried blood flaked off of the hair to mix into the water, slowly coloring it a faint orange. He continued running his fingers through Yuugi's hair carefully, steeling himself against any reactions to the water tinged with the dry blood; he knew that he had to get the substance off of Yuugi as best as he could. 

He had to admit that he did enjoy running his fingers through Yuugi's hair, although he did wish that he were doing so under better circumstances. He refused to cease his actions, however, slowly working the clumps out of Yuugi's hair and returning it to the gentle, silken glory that it had been before the entire mess had begun. He leaned in, placing a gentle kiss upon the still-unconscious boy's lips before closing his eyes thoughtfully. A gentle hum escaped him again, and he allowed a soothing tune to form as he returned his attention to Yuugi's hair, making sure that he'd rid it of all of the blood that had been caked on it. 

Atemu's humming came to a halt as he sighed softly, stroking Yuugi's cheek with his thumb before smiling gently and sadly down at his life-giver. _There's no one that I will ever love more than you, Yuugi. I just hope that you can forgive me for not being there to stop this from happening._ He pulled Yuugi closer to himself, brushing another kiss upon the teenager's lips before slowly running his hands over smooth skin, scrubbing just hard enough to clear the tracks of blood from him, healing any wounds that he ran across on the way. He wanted his life-giver to be returned to his state of physical perfection that matched the beauty of Yuugi's kind and open heart. 

A gentle sigh escaped him again, and he ran his fingers through Yuugi's hair once more, reveling in the feel of the soft hair brushing against his hand. "I love you, my little one, and I always will. You're the one that I was meant for, the one that I waited for three thousand years to meet." He kissed the boy again. "And I will never let anything come before you ever again." 

He picked up the gentle humming again, just holding Yuugi close, not wanting to move out of the water just yet, despite having cleaned the blood off of him already. The tune that he hummed was light, intended to calm whatever nerves that it had to. It was something that he did almost unconsciously, really, ever since the night that he had watched Yuugi sleep and helped him relax by humming as he held the boy. He enjoyed calming Yuugi's nerves, and since his life-giver had made it so very clear that he loved Atemu's voice, it seemed to be a natural conclusion for him to come to. 

Leaning back against the side of the tub, he pulled Yuugi closer, smiling to himself as he felt the boy press against him unconsciously. _A good sign, at least,_ he thought to himself, simply watching the boy that he held. _He's starting to get better if he's moving like that now._ His humming continued, and he felt the soft exhalation of Yuugi's sigh against his chest, enjoying the feather-light touch of his breath. _My little one ..._

He stopped his thought there, remembering with a fond smile how Yuugi had asked him not to refer to him as 'little one.' The conversation had been nice that morning, and he had wanted it to go further than it had, despite Yuugi's alarm clock deciding that it had gone far enough. Pressing a gentle kiss onto the teenager's forehead as he allowed himself to replay the events of that morning, he soon found himself pulled out of his thoughts by Yuugi snuggling even closer against him. 

A soft moan came from Yuugi as he pressed his face closer, nose nuzzling against Atemu's bared chest before he stilled again, mumbling something incoherent. Atemu smiled at his love, carefully picking the boy up as he stood, climbing out of the sunken tub and laying Yuugi on the floor again before looking around for something that could be used to dry his little one off. Moments later, he abandoned the thought of searching and focused on forming two large, fluffy towels in his hands, wrapping one around his own waist before gently patting at Yuugi with the other, smiling as he heard the teenager mumble something again as he ran the towel briskly over his hair. _Forgive me, my beautiful life-giver, but this must be done._ He pressed another gentle kiss on a smooth cheek. 

Wrapping the towel lovingly around his young love, he picked Yuugi up and carried him back to the bed, laying him among lush sheets of the finest silk before sitting beside him, idly running his fingers through hair that put the sheets to shame. He wanted to stay with his beloved in this position forever ... with the one slight change of Yuugi being awake, however. He wanted to see his life-giver's beautiful violet eyes again so badly that he could barely contain his urge for it. 

Atemu watched as Yuugi shifted, face rubbing against his thigh, causing a blush to form on the former pharaoh's cheeks. His fingers continued to run through Yuugi's soft, golden bangs, earning yet another sigh of contentment. _He'll be alright ... he'll make it through this. I'm so glad that he will._ He shifted; lying beside his beloved and holding him close again, Atemu allowed his muscles to relax, letting go of the tension that he had been feeling. Softly, he began humming again, noting that Yuugi once again pressed closer against him. _You can hear me ..._ He smiled, his humming coming to a halt, and heard a disappointed whimper escape his love; he held onto his soft laugh at hearing that. _I'm glad. It will help you._

Softly, he murmured some words to his love, not really sure just what he was saying. "My heart belongs to you in every way you could ever ask for. No matter what time brings for us, you'll be the one that I adore," he sang, almost too low for anyone to even hear, smiling to himself as Yuugi's face burrowed against his chest again. The words came to him, a slow song of undying love; he was sure that it was one from Yuugi's memories, and that the boy would enjoy hearing it. And so he sang for his love, wanting to give him everything that his heart could possibly desire. 

He felt Yuugi shifting against him as he continued to sing, and he closed his eyes, joy washing through him. The lyrics were lovely, he had to admit, and he could understand just why Yuugi liked the song. It was hopeful, and proclaimed everything that his life-giver could ever want. Atemu was sure that he wanted to give Yuugi whatever the song promised. 

"And if the night dies down to never, I promise that I will be your forever. No matter what we have to face, in your heart is my only place," he murmured the lyrics, his powerful and enchanting baritone growing softer and more reverent with each line of the song. "I'll never let you down, my love. And in my sleep, you're the one I dream of." His voice died away with the final word, and he smiled, eyes still closed. 

Had he watched carefully, however, he might have noticed violet eyes open with the final words of the song. 

- - -

Violet eyes stared at the resting figure, wide with shock and a hint of anger. He shook with suppressed rage as he thought about what had happened to him before raising his right hand. 

Moments later, a resounding 'smack' echoed through the room, and crimson eyes snapped open, a hand coming to the other's cheek and rubbing slowly to try to ease the pain of the slap. Slowly, those eyes followed the hand that had connected with his cheek up the arm that it was attached to, and then caught onto an enraged violet gaze. Crimson eyes widened with shock. "Yuugi ..." 

"Don't you 'Yuugi' me!" He turned away, shaking with his barely contained anger. He closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts. _How can he sit there and look at me so calmly after what he did?_ His words were biting when he spoke. "You let that happen to me. You promised me that you would keep me safe, and then you let me nearly be killed!" 

_"He doesn't really care about you. His first love is bloodshed."_ The words, which had spoken by a silken voice that had a barely concealed edge of dark omen to it, echoed through his mind repeatedly, pounding into him like a hammer on a nail. He remembered the words well ... he had heard them while pleading for his other self to rescue him from the torturous room he had been trapped in. _"He only pretends to love you, but, really, he's just leading you on so that he can have a body to use. The only thing that he has ever known is how to use others for his own purposes. The only one that he cares for is himself."_ Yuugi had argued against that voice, screaming that it wasn't true, that Atemu did care for him. 

But Atemu hadn't come for him. The former pharaoh had let him hang there and suffer. He cringed at the remembered feeling of the skin of his wrists breaking under the strain of the wires biting into them; he had screamed and cried until his throat had gone raw and he could make no further sound. 

He had been forced to endure his pain, tears falling from his eyes and mingling with fresh blood, stinging against his cuts, before the mixture plummeted to the floor so far below him. And still he hung, hissing at the sharp pain of the wire biting into his throat, cutting off his breaths. He had been foolish enough to hold onto his faith even then, and he had been let down so very badly; the man that he believed in, the man that he had hoped would save him, had not come. His eyes had closed in exhaustion and defeat. _"He's enjoying himself out there instead, chatting up another. He'll probably celebrate being rid of you. A meaningless, bloodthirsty bastard like him could never care for someone as precious as you."_ He flinched marginally as he remembered the words, the voice. He had tried to shout out that it wasn't true, that Atemu was not like that, but he couldn't bring himself to. He didn't really know Atemu all that well, after all; the voice could have been telling him the whole truth. It was driven home with each passing moment, as Atemu's absence continued on. 

"Yuugi, that's not true ..." 

"It is true! You left me there all alone! You _wanted_ me gone!" he threw back in anger, not caring how much the words hurt his other self. After all, Atemu had hurt _him_ more than enough by betraying Yuugi's trust. "Well, perhaps I should _give_ you just what you want, then!" He jumped up from the bed, pulling away from the former pharaoh quickly, not even noticing his lack of clothing as he ran from the room. He ran as fast as his legs could take him down the twists of the maze that lay outside the room, finding his way to the exit as fast as he could and bursting out from it. He had only one destination in mind, and he intended to get there as quickly as possible. 

He didn't hear the footfalls behind him, the voice of his other self calling for him to stop, begging him not to go. He didn't care to hear it. He didn't want to turn around; if he was honest with himself, he wasn't sure if he would be able to keep his resolve if he did turn to face the other. Those crimson eyes dictated so much to him, drove all reason from his head. 

He could not allow himself to fall victim to those eyes and the lies of the one that they belonged to again. 

_I hate you!_ his mind shouted angrily, directing the thought towards the other, even without sending it to him. He didn't want his other self to ever hear him again. He continued to run, right to the door of his own soul room, turning to open the door only to find it already hanging ajar. He frowned, taking a step forward before falling back with a yelp, holding his head with his hands as memories flooded him. A monster jumping through the door, running right for him; it clawed at the bed, snagging his leg and tearing a cry of pain from him. He'd run to the desk, only to have it explode moments before he had reached it, shards of shattered and splintered wood grazing against his cheek and eliciting a sharp hiss of pain from him. He had run, until backed into a corner. Shadowy hands had closed around him, dragging him forward, burning at his skin. 

He remembered writhing in pain. 

Slowly, he shook his head, clearing the memories from the forefront of his mind as he looked into the room, shuddering at the holes littering the floor, the gaps in the walls. _It looks like a losing game of Tetris._ The thought came to him unbidden, and he shuddered at the thought of someone playing such a _game_ with his soul room. He took a step forward, two steps; his bare feet hit puddles of blood with a stomach-churning 'squish,' and he fought his reaction to be ill at the sound, looking around the room with the expression of a lost child. "Why ...?" he choked out. 

He felt someone coming up behind him and whirled around to face Atemu, anger burning in his eyes again. _His fault! It's all his fault!_

_"He doesn't want to save you. He wants to let you fall into nothingness here."_

An enraged shriek tore from Yuugi's throat and he launched towards the other, hands balled into fists as he pounded into the former pharaoh's chest over and over again in a desperate onslaught of emotion. "Why? Why would you do this to me? Why would you lie to me, make me believe that you really cared, just to do _this_? How could you?" But there was no response; Atemu allowed Yuugi to continue hitting him. 

His arms felt heavy, and the pounding on his other self's chest slowed until he was barely moving at all. Tears fell from violet eyes, and a sob raked his entire body as he fell forward, only to be caught by strong arms. "Don't touch me ..." he choked out, another sob tearing from him as more tears fell. "Don't you dare touch me; not after what you've done." But the arms did not release him. Instead, Yuugi found himself being pulled more firmly upright, pressed against a strong chest as one hand slid up his back to tangle into his hair. Gentle caresses played along soft strands in an attempt to placate his overtaxed nerves. 

Soft shushing sounds reached Yuugi's ears, and he tried to pull away, only to have those strong arms tighten around him; a kiss was placed onto his hair, and he felt his other self's breath blowing the strands gently. "Please don't move, my partner," Atemu whispered, barely loud enough for Yuugi to hear. "Please don't make me lose you again." He sounded desperate, a pleading edge coloring his every word. Yuugi froze in confusion as something wet hit his scalp: tears. Atemu's grip on him loosed, his hands going to Yuugi's arms before sliding down to grab onto his hands. The teenager found himself fighting back a shocked gasp as the former pharaoh fell to his knees before him, tears falling from his eyes freely as crimson pools looked up at him in despair. "I can't bear to lose you again, Yuugi. I need you ... I need you so much. I'm sorry, so very sorry that I didn't realize that something was wrong until it was too late. I would give anything to turn back time and take your place in that torture, anything at all." His words were rushed, and his composure was destroyed as he begged his life-giver for forgiveness. Yuugi frowned, biting his lower lip; he was unsure of what to do as he heard Atemu barely choke out, "I love you so much ..." 

"How can I trust you?" Bitterness colored the question, and he noticed the other flinch visibly at the words; Yuugi's distrust was plain. _He's just a liar. He'll do anything to get his way ... he just wants to use me to his own advantage,_ he reminded himself. _Isn't that what the voice said?_ And yet, even as the thoughts floated through his head, he couldn't help but wonder just why he had been so compelled to listen to that voice in the first place. There was something about it that seemed more than just slightly off; it had seemed so bent on revenge for something, and it had only appeared after Yuugi's torture had begun. 

"I don't know," came the whispered response. Atemu's head dropped in resignation, chin resting along the top of his chest. He seemed to be the very picture of regret and anguish; a man who had lost all of his hope for redemption. Yuugi's question had made it evident that he would not be forgiven for his not stopping - not even noticing - what had occurred before it was too late. 

"Then why are you here?" Anger. He wanted the other to let go of him; he felt his skin crawling at the touch. _He caused this!_

Yuugi frowned again, looking away. _Are those my own thoughts ...?_ he wondered, not quite sure what to make of the situation. He had fallen in love with Atemu, after all; to see the former pharaoh in such a state was heart wrenching for him. 

"Yuugi ..." he murmured, looking up again, tears shining in his eyes. "I ..." He looked down, gathering his thoughts before looking right into Yuugi's questioning violet eyes again. "I'm here because I love you. I'm here because I will fight anything to save you. Please forgive me for not being able to protect you from my past this time; I promise you that I will do whatever I can to make sure that there is no repeat of this day." His voice became softer with each word, and Yuugi had to strain to hear him in the end. "I promise you that I will do anything for you." 

Yuugi did not get a chance to respond as his strength gave out and he collapsed into his other self's gentle embrace. 

- - -

**Disclaimer:** Yuugiou is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. I do not claim any right to the series or its characters, and I should probably apologize for the hell I'm likely to be putting them through in this story.   
**Other Note:** No, Atemu will not be dumping Yuugi for anyone. He's just the kind of character that everyone ends up drawn to. Just because characters end up crushing on him doesn't mean that he is going to like them back in that sense. As a friend? Possibly; not necessarily the case every time, though. Hormonal reactions are hormonal reactions, after all. Everyone is subject to them. Also, the reason for him being a great singer? Mainly inspired because the man who voiced Yuugi and Atemu in the original is actually a singer in a band. Combine that with the fact that I've always had a thing for singers, and ... yeah. 


	6. Chapter 6: Redemption

**If the World Doesn't Want Me**   
Redemption   
by Josie

_He left me all alone ... I can't trust him, and yet I love him. Am I a masochist?_ He tossed in his slumber, a frown marring his features as he threw his arms around the pillow under him, squeezing it as tightly as he could, as though his life depended on it. It was a display of one seeking comfort, and his frown remained as he received none. Slowly, one violet eye opened, shot through with intense pain and loneliness. _Atemu ...?_ He sniffled, pulling the pillow closer to himself. _I'm sorry; please don't leave me alone, Atemu. I don't want to be alone anymore. I'll never blame you again if you just come back._ He sniffled, burrowing his face into the soft mass of the pillow, spine stiffening as a hand was laid gently onto his back. 

_**I haven't gone anywhere, little one.**_ Soft lips pressed against the bare skin at the back of his neck, and a warm figure was soon pressed at his side, pulling him into a tight and comforting embrace. _**I would never leave you, and I would fight anything that I must in order to keep you at my side.**_ His fingers ran through the smaller teenager's hair as the boy slowly released his death-grip on the pillow, pulling his face away from the soft fabric to turn wide, fearful violet eyes onto him. A reassuring smile met the terrified gaze, and thin arms were immediately thrown around him as Yuugi again sought comfort. 

They lay together like that for what could have been eternity, for all that the former pharaoh could care; in his opinion, even an eternity of Yuugi held safely in his arms would never be enough. He wanted their time together � their warm moments when it was just the two of them � to last forever, with no interruption. 

"I will be your hero, if you'll lean on me tonight," he murmured, fingers still brushing through Yuugi's hair; he felt a soft puff of air from Yuugi sighing blow gently across the skin of his neck, and smiled. "I'll keep you in my arms, so everything's alright." 

"Mm ... I like that song," the boy whispered, and Atemu smiled again, brushing a kiss onto the frightened teenager's forehead. Violet eyes peeked up again before Yuugi buried his face into Atemu's neck. "Why did you let that happen to me, Atemu? Why did you let him hurt me like that? I was ..." His voice lowered with each word, until the former pharaoh couldn't even hear his voice; the only way that he heard the voice was through listening to Yuugi's thoughts as the boy spoke. "I was so frightened that you wouldn't come for me, that I would die because I was a fool for trusting you so blindly. So scared ..." 

"Yuugi ..." He rubbed the boy's back lovingly, keeping him pressed against his chest. "My little one, my love ... I will _always_ come for you. No matter what happens, no matter what situation we are in, I will always be there to find and protect you. I promise this to you." He felt hot tears hit his skin and held his young love closer, trying his hardest to soothe the teenager. "No matter what happens, I'll be here." 

It took many sweet nothings whispered into Yuugi's ear along with the gentle caresses along his spine for Atemu to finally calm the boy enough that he could look up at him. "I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry that I doubted you." He reached up, wiping at his tears frantically, embarrassed that he was being so weak over what he knew was just his mind overplaying the situation. _How could I have been so stupid as to listen when that voice told me that he wouldn't come? I knew he would, and I still doubted; how can I deserve his kindness and love after that?_ He leaned closer, actively seeking the warmth provided by the man that he had come to love so easily; his eyes scanned the room that they were in, and his brow furrowed in confusion. "Atemu, where are we?" His eyes drank in everything around him; perfect, golden walls surrounded him, and the bed was large and extravagant. It was like something straight out of every history book he'd ever had to look at. 

"This? This is ... where I'm most comfortable," the other said in way of explanation. "We're here while you recover." His lips pressed onto Yuugi's softly before he pulled back some to examine the boy carefully; an easy smile touched his lips again before he motioned around himself. "This is ... well, save for some modifications I made to materials, it's pretty much what my bedchambers were like. It seemed a fitting place for us to relax." 

"Ah ..." Yuugi blushed, looking away before shifting uncomfortably in his love's arms. "And ... why don't I have clothes on?" A light blush tinged his cheeks as he spoke. 

"Oh, that ..." He grinned at the soft giggling from Yuugi, ruffling the teenager's hair some before letting his hand slide down to the other's back again. "You needed to be cleaned up, and then I didn't want to disturb your rest too badly, so I just ..." 

"Figured you'd enjoy the view?" 

A rich chuckle escaped him, and he pulled Yuugi into a gentle kiss, teeth nipping lightly at his bottom lip before Atemu pulled back. "Something like that." His hands ran down Yuugi's body, and he delighted in the feel of the boy's skin � once again smooth now that his mind was healing � under his touch. A smirk touched his lips as a shiver ran down Yuugi's spine at each passing moment of contact, and he couldn't help but lose himself a bit in the power that he currently held over his younger love's body and mind. However, he was brought crashing back to reality when Yuugi's entire body stiffened as his hands began to reach much more intimate areas. 

"Please ... I'm not ready for that much yet." Immediately, the taller teenager's hands stopped roaming and moved back to Yuugi's waist, arms wrapping around him in a warm embrace as they pulled closer together. "So ... why silk?" An ebony eyebrow rose elegantly at the question, and Yuugi pulled nervously at the sheets a bit. "Why did you modify them to be silk? It's ... not something they had in your kingdom, after all." 

Atemu chuckled again before placing a kiss onto Yuugi's lips and tapping a finger very lightly on his little one's nose. "I guess I just liked it when I felt silk for the first time as ... well, as you. It's more luxurious than the linens of my time, after all." He ran a hand across it before grinning mischievously at Yuugi. "I'm sure it feels really nice against bare skin while involved in more, how should I say, intimate and sexual activities, too." His grin widened as Yuugi blushed deeply to the roots of his hair. 

"What a dirty mind you have." 

"Only when my thoughts involve you." 

"And how often don't they?" A laugh escaped Yuugi's other self, and he smiled, glad that he could bring himself to partake in such playful banter. A moment later, a realization hit him with the full force of a truck, and he pulled back some, staring at the other, curiosity shining in his wide, violet eyes. "Wait ..." An eyebrow rose at him in silent question once again, and his own eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "Why are you calling me 'little one' again, anyway? Didn't I ask you not to?" 

Atemu had to hold himself back from laughing outright at the question, and instead smiled at Yuugi. "I don't mean it as an insult, Yuugi." The smaller boy raised an eyebrow at him, skeptical; shaking his head, he chuckled softly. "I could never say such a thing as an insult, Yuugi, nor would I ever want to. After all, it's not as though my own size is so great, now, is it?" 

"You're avoiding my question." 

"Mm? Well, perhaps I am," he said thoughtfully, pulling Yuugi more snuggly against himself and burying his face in the boy's hair, reveling in the scent. It was something of a strange combination, really; at first, all that assaulted his senses was the sweet and almost powerfully intoxicating scent of honey, but after a few moments, it became interwoven with the fresh scent brought by a spring breeze and � much more faintly than the first two - the almost biting spice of cayenne. Yet, despite the fact that the combination seemed as though it would be rather off-putting, Atemu found it highly intoxicating; somehow, on Yuugi, it just _worked_. 

He was interrupted from his reverie as Yuugi poked him in the stomach; he laughed softly at his love's impatience before brushing his fingers through the soft mass of hair. "If you must know, it's ..." He paused, seeking the right word. "I suppose you could say that it's chivalry, in a sense; my way of vowing to protect you against anything, through the endearment I use for you. If you truly don't like it, I could stop, but ..." A gentle kiss was placed onto Yuugi's forehead before he pulled back, crimson eyes looking directly and firmly into violet. "Yuugi, one should always protect those important to them and those smaller than them, and I will always protect you regardless of what I call you by." 

He shook his head, chuckling softly as he did. "Besides, the fact that you're smaller than me also means that you fit very nicely against me." In demonstration of his point, he pulled Yuugi closer to himself, so that Yuugi's head was nestled very neatly against his shoulder, tucked just so under his chin. "I love you, my little one, my Yuugi. Nothing is going to change that." 

"You ... really mean it?" 

"Why wouldn't I?" 

Violet eyes closed as a nearly blinding smile broke free from Yuugi, and he snuggled closer to the former pharaoh, much more at ease than he had been when he had awoken. "Thank you." The only response came in the form of nimble fingers entwining in his hair again, and Yuugi sighed contentedly at the sensation it sent through him. His eyelids grew heavy, and he murmured sleepily, "Will my soul room ever be okay again ...?" 

Atemu didn't stop his actions, feeling that Yuugi needed comfort more than words. "It should fix itself, I think." A soft sigh, an indication of Yuugi's relaxing at the words, responded, and Atemu shifted some to look at the other's face, noting the closed eyelids. He watched for a few moments more before noting the even breaths of his beloved partner. He ran his fingers through the soft bangs again before murmuring, "It will fix itself as you recover. The more at peace your mind is, the more that it will heal. It will be just fine, my love, and I will make sure it stays that way." He placed another gentle kiss onto Yuugi's forehead and settled in, content to watch his little one sleep. 

- - -

Yuugi had been asleep for the three hours before Atemu had finally shaken himself from his stupor and left his side, allowing his young love to peacefully rest and recover. The spirit who had once been known as Egypt's morning star had decided that it would not be a good idea to worry the teenager's grandfather needlessly � he was rather certain that he had done an exceedingly good job of worrying him the night before by going straight to Yuugi's room upon arriving home, after all � and decided to go outside for a while. His intentions had been to merely take a walk. 

He hadn't expected for his little mystery of the past week to suddenly land in his lap as he was walking. Really, he wasn't even paying attention to anyone around him, so it had come as a complete surprise when he nearly ran right into Yuugi's two obnoxiously loud, overbearing, and popular classmates � quite literally so, in fact. 

To his great relief, neither seemed to notice as he stopped short in his walking and veered quickly to the side in order to avoid them; they seemed much to enthralled by each other to really be able to notice anything at all, he was quite certain. He paused once he was at a suitable distance, looking around himself carefully to ensure that no one could see him before leaning nonchalantly against a tree and watching the two out of the corner of his eye. He knew that it was impolite; in fact, he knew that it was downright wrong, but he felt that, if he didn't find out just what was happening, he would explode with anticipation and wonder. 

There was something about the way that the two seemed to hold each other's attention so completely that really caught his focus, however; the way that they stared into one another's eyes, oblivious to all surroundings. It wasn't so difficult to do that in the area of the park where they stood, as it was enclosed on three sides, and few people walked to it. That was part of what had drawn Atemu to the area in the first place; he didn't want to be around too many people at the moment, preferring to remain solitary while his partner recovered. He had found the spot through Yuugi's book of memories, as it was his greatest method of obtaining knowledge on the world where he currently resided. 

That alone had made it surprising that Jounouchi and Honda had come to such a place. He didn't expect that the two would be much for areas of such solitude and silence, as they seemed to always be the center of attention at school. If nothing else, it was an interesting change that he hadn't quite expected to see, and that intrigued him further. 

As the two moved, however, he quickly realized just why they had decided to come somewhere that they felt they could be relatively alone. The look in their eyes finally became very evident, and he almost kicked himself for not recognizing it earlier; it was the same look that was held by Yuugi's captivating violet eyes whenever the boy looked at him. It was a look that he was almost positive was reflected by his own crimson orbs. 

Love. Or, at least, as close as any could find at such a young age; that was something that Atemu had taken a bit to wrap his mind around, that being sixteen was considered 'young' in this time, whereas one would already have been considered a man at such an age in his time. 

_Perhaps there was something to Anzu calling them attached at the hip,_ he mused, a knowing grin forming on his lips. It hadn't so much been that Yuugi's friend had _known_ that these two were involved in something deeper than friendship. He was rather positive that they tried their hardest to keep it from the public eye, in fact. However, he had come to recognize at a young age that women sometimes knew such things without needing to be told; he had come into contact with such knowledge quite often thanks to the high priestess, Isis. 

He watched them with interest, more due to his curiosity at how couples acted in public in this time � it was a sort of taboo in his own time to be too affectionate to a lover in open sight � than anything else. Silently, he berated himself for considering them a couple so quickly; for all he knew, he had seen the look wrong, or was reading into things too deeply. _I'm probably just seeing things because Yuugi is ..._

He paused in his thoughts, keeping himself from thinking anything at all for a moment and just feeling for if he had disturbed his little one's slumber. After a few minutes, he was certain that Yuugi was still resting peacefully, and he looked back towards the boy's two classmates. He supposed that he might have been reading into things too much; Yuugi was on his mind more than anything else, and he could have just read into what he saw simply because he wanted to know what a couple could act like. 

That was, until it hit him once again that the two were focused almost too completely on each other. He realized that he must have been there for a while - a quick glance at the watch he had put on told him that it had been nearly forty-five minutes � and the two still had not noticed his presence, whereas they seemed to always notice him at school. 

Still, he pushed the thought from his head, until, moments later, Honda reached up, hand clasping lightly on Jounouchi's bicep before moving up to his face; the backs of his fingers brushed lightly over the blonde's cheek before he pulled his hand back. Atemu noticed easily from where he was just why the brunette had pulled back. 

At the gentle touch, Jounouchi had winced. 

It wasn't really the most extravagant action; in truth, it was barely noticeable, and Atemu was positive that he wouldn't have even seen it at all if he hadn't been paying as close attention to them as he was. However, that just made it even more intriguing. 

His curiosity was piqued when he heard Honda whisper almost urgently, "What did he do to you this time?" The blonde had just shaken his head, however, and pulled away for a moment before turning back with an almost cocky grin. It was the most obvious cover-up that the former pharaoh had ever seen, and he was almost positive that the brunette knew it for what it was, as well. 

"It's nothing big, Honda. Just lighten up a bit, would you?" 

"Too overbearing for you, huh?" 

Whatever it was that was bothering the blonde, however, Atemu knew he would not find out here. The two seemed to have a bit of a code, from what he could tell, and when a line was crossed, the subject would be dropped. This seemed to be one of those subjects, and while he knew that Honda was likely to eventually find out what was wrong with Jounouchi � that was plain to him as he began to realize just how involved their relationship was � Atemu also knew that he would not be quite so privileged. He supposed it shouldn't have bothered him the way that it did; Yuugi had told him that it was impolite to eavesdrop in the first place. 

He continued to watch the two, looking for an opportunity to leave without being noticed; it wasn't even so much that he didn't want to deal with their attitudes. It was really because he was sure that this was a 'moment' that they didn't want anyone looking in on, and he supposed that he should feel worse than he did for watching in on it. It was a very private affair, after all. 

And yet he couldn't tear himself away, no matter what he tried to tell himself. He supposed that it was fair play, in a sense; they were among those who constantly had their eyes on him at school. _Interesting how Jounouchi follows my every move usually, even though he's in this relationship._ He leaned against the tree more firmly, watching the two again as Honda's arm wrapped around the blonde's waist. _One would think that holding such a flame while seeing someone is detrimental. Though I suppose I could just be reading into things._

"You'll tell me if he does anything too bad, right?" 

"Feeling the need to be a hero, are you?" Their laughter floated towards him, growing fainter as the two began to walk away. He breathed a sigh of relief as the two finally left his sight, and he began to start on his way back home finally. He didn't notice as the two popular students parted ways, the blonde moving in the same direction that he would be. 

He did, however, notice when Jounouchi stopped in front of a bar and leaned against the wall. He paused, not getting too close, just watching. After a few minutes, a man walked out from the building, and Jounouchi hailed him with what seemed to be a curt word, but Atemu wasn't close enough to hear. Something about the man set off a warning in him, though; he wasn't entirely sure just what it was, but he knew that _something_ was not right about him. 

His suspicion was confirmed when the man turned towards Yuugi's blonde classmate, eyes blazing in anger. Somewhere deep within him, further than it normally was and less coherent due to him not being in his own soul room, Atemu felt rather than heard Yuugi's thoughts. _**Protect, stop, help!**_ The teenager's desires hit him hard, and he knew that Yuugi was right; while he had promised not to purposely meddle, he had told Yuugi that he would interfere if something landed in his lap; this was as close to something landing in his lap as one could get. He started forward, just as he heard Jounouchi refer to the man as 'father.' Moments later, one arm was pulled back, aiming for a punch to the blonde. 

It never connected. Instead, Atemu's hand was wrapped firmly around the man's wrist in a death-grip. Confused, unfocused eyes turned to look at him, and he almost retched at the heavy scent of alcohol that permeated his senses; the scent enveloped the man in a sort of fog that was almost visible. _Even in my time, I never once met anyone who would indulge in such a way._

Brown eyes locked onto him, shock written into them; Atemu was sure that, beyond not expecting anyone to stop his father from hitting him, the blonde _especially_ would not have expected _him_ to be there as the one to step in to rescue him. 

"No father should ever raise his hand to his child." The man growled at Atemu's words, and the only response to the sound was an elegant, ebony eyebrow arching upwards; his very manner seemed to ask the man to answer the question of if he felt lucky. "Leave." With more strength than he seemed to possess in his small frame, he pushed the elder Jounouchi back, watching the man stumble for a moment before he managed to get his feet under him; he seemed to sway away, though to where, Atemu was unsure. He didn't really care at the moment, however. 

"Mutou ..." 

"Save it. Your words aren't really necessary; I would have done it for anyone." Without even so much as a glance towards the shaken blonde, he turned to leave. _I'll finish with him later, though. I'll make sure of that._

"Mutou! What the hell are you?" The words were shouted after him, but they fell onto deaf ears; Jounouchi continued to stare after him as he walked away. 

- - -

He liked it in the darkness. It suited his personality very well, and it held none of the annoyances that the light would for him; it was much easier to surprise someone in the dark, where they could not see who was coming. 

Except for him, of course. He knew the darkness well, and he was likely to know that someone was near him within it. It was his domain, and he knew it as well as he knew the back of his own hand. 

People tried to keep things from him, but it never worked very well in the end; they always told him everything that he wanted to know, with only a simple prodding from him. They really had no choice in the matter, after all. He enjoyed that immensely; the manipulation, the mind games. They were akin to a child's playground to him, and within said playground, he was king. 

That was how he'd found out about the pharaoh's return to existence. Just enough prodding, and those who had been trying to keep the information from him had folded quickly. They said that they were doing it 'for his own good,' but they had no idea what was good for him. 

Revenge. That was the only thing that would be good for him. It was his salvation. 

He should have felt bad for using them as mere dolls, he supposed, but he couldn't bring himself to. It was their own fault, in the end; they had withheld crucial information from him, and he'd been forced to use whatever means he had to get it. It was almost as though he were prying it from cold, dead fingers. _Well, in a way, I suppose I did in one case, now, didn't I?_

All that he needed now was the proper time and plan, and he would have everything that he both wanted and needed. His freedom, his power; all of it was within his grasp, and all that he needed now was to take the final steps towards making it his forever. He would do it, he could do it; he had to. 

He knew what he could do in order to set his plan into motion. It was simple, really; there was someone who would act as the perfect pawn for his plans. The boy was entirely too trusting and innocent; no one would ever suspect him of being a part of such a 'cruel and vicious act.' All that he needed now was to get to where the boy was. 

It helped matters that said boy was already in a perfect position for all of his plans to be set into motion. They had tried to keep that from him, as well, but a simple 'meeting' with the boy's father had been all that he needed to garner the location of the one that he needed for his plan. 

It had been too perfect that the boy _happened_ to be in the same city as the pharaoh that he so despised. Fate simply couldn't have been in his favor any more than it already was with that small piece of information. All that he needed to do was get the boy onto his side, and the rest would fall into place quite simply. He'd be merely a puppet for him to pull the strings of, eager to do whatever he wanted of him. _That's an interesting prospect ... rather useful in many ways. He was pretty, after all._

He shook his head, dismissing such thoughts quickly. They would only get in the way of his work, and he had too much to do; he could not afford such distractions just yet. _But ... perhaps when everything is set in motion ..._ A cruel smirk formed on his lips as he entertained the thought. _He'll be a perfect little pet for me once I have everything that I want. Once I have all of that power, he'll stay at my side as my personal slave, whose thoughts will revolve only around seeing to my pleasure. That would work very nicely._

He looked at the paper on the table in front of him carefully; it held the directions of where to go to meet up with the pharaoh, and where the boy was located. He'd also scribbled his own personal notes onto it of just what he would have to do while there. It was simple, really; almost _too_ simple, which made him wary. He was sure that there would be something to throw a wrench into his plans, and so he was making certain to take precautions to ensure that things would go properly. 

He frowned, tapping the table lightly in frustration as he thought of something; the last that he had heard, the boy had one of _them_. The Ring, if he recalled correctly. Granted, it would prove rather useful if he could get his hands on it, and the boy could be invaluable if under his control. He'd be able to seek out the other five with ease that way. _Or, four, really. Once I take care of the pharaoh, the Puzzle will be mine, as well. Perhaps that will be my first command for him; he won't be able to stop himself from handing it over, I'm sure._ He smirked knowingly as he folded the paper up, placing into his pocket and standing, leaving the room so as to prepare for his trip; it would be 'purely business,' of course, but he would have so much to do, regardless. 

_You don't deserve anything you have, pharaoh. And somehow, in some way, I **will** take it all from you._

- - -

"Where are you taking me, Atemu?" 

Amused crimson eyes were turned onto Yuugi, and he smiled at how adorably confused the teenager looked with a black scarf covering his eyes � a makeshift blindfold, as Atemu was unwilling to put a real one on the boy so soon after everything that had happened. He chuckled some as Yuugi's hands reached up to pluck some at the new shirt that he had been given, as though he were unused to the feel of the material so close against his body now; he had been undressed for quite a while, after all. 

"That's a secret, little one." His arms wrapped warmly around Yuugi's waist, and he chuckled again at the delighted squeak that emanated from his young love. "It will be much nicer this way." 

In truth, he was surprised that he was able to give Yuugi this surprise so soon; he had expected the boy's recovery to take longer, and was shocked to discover just how resilient his young partner really was. His lips brushed against the smooth skin of Yuugi's cheek, and he smirked knowingly at the gentle shiver that ran down the boy's spine. Their softer, more romantic moments seemed to mean the entire world to Yuugi, he'd come to realize, and he intended to give the object of his affections as many of those moments as he possibly could. 

Yuugi's confusion gave way to an adorable smile that practically lit up the hallway, and Atemu found himself hard-pressed to not press the boy to the wall and kiss him soundly; the only thing that stopped him was the fact that he did not want to ruin the surprise that he had for the boy, and if he waited too much longer in getting him to their new location, the effect would be destroyed. His hands moved to Yuugi's hips, forcing his partner to walk in front of him to a door that stood ajar. Looking around, Atemu smiled to himself before placing a gentle kiss onto Yuugi's cheek and removing the blindfold, whispering, "You can look now, my love." 

Slowly, vibrant violet eyes blinked open, taking a moment to adjust to the dim lighting before looking around to take in all of the surroundings. A soft gasp escaped him, and he turned to look up at the former pharaoh in awe. "Atemu, this is ... how is it ...?" 

"Your recovery went much more smoothly than I imagined," came the simple response, followed by a gentle, chaste kiss on the lips. "With your recovery, your soul room returned to normal; I noticed when I got home and came to see you. So ..." 

"You set this all up." 

Atemu nodded just as Yuugi pulled away from him to slowly make his way around the room. The only lighting came from the lit candles that his other self had placed around the room, lending the entire room a hazy, romantic air the likes of which he had never experienced before. The bed was adorned with deep crimson sheets that Yuugi was almost positive were silk; if he weren't loathe to leave Atemu's side, he would have checked immediately, but he was sure that he would be finding out soon enough, anyway. Covering the sheets were red and white rose petals, strewn in what seemed to be both a haphazard and yet carefully planned manner all at once; the petals also trailed onto the floor, creating a pathway to the doorway. 

"It's beautiful." 

"It pales in comparison." Violet eyes widened at the words whispered into a pale ear, and Yuugi looked up at the other in confusion, only to have his lips claimed again, this time as the start of a much deeper kiss. He yielded easily, allowing Atemu full reign, and was quickly rewarded by first a gentle nibbling on his lower lip, and then a hot, wet tongue running over it, soothing any discomfort that his love's teeth may have caused. However, after mere moments, that same tongue had slipped past his lips and his parted teeth, touching lightly, teasingly against his own before it retreated and Atemu broke away from him, releasing him from the warm embrace and instead taking Yuugi's hand lightly in his own. 

Yuugi pouted, though it was mostly in jest as he allowed himself to be led to the bed, observing as though spellbound as Atemu dropped onto it in the most relaxed lounging position that he had ever seen before pulling him down on top of himself. "This is all for you," he whispered into the younger teenager's ear. "Everything that I do is for you, and always will be." He brushed a thumb over Yuugi's cheeks as the boy blushed, slowly leaning forward and pressing their lips together once again. 

"You really didn't have to ..." 

"I know." 

Yuugi shifted, wrapping his arms around his pharaoh's waist, head falling into place on his shoulder as he closed his eyes. "What did you do while you were out?" The question was perfectly innocent and curious; he had vague glimpses of Atemu's actions from that day, but nothing really concrete. It had been strange to him to be in the other's soul room, as it didn't have the same window to the outside world as his own did. Nothing came to him in flowing streams, but, instead, it was all small, jagged pieces; it had reminded him of a puzzle, but one that he would never be able to find every piece to on his own. 

"I went for a walk, just for some fresh air and to clear my mind." Nimble fingers wove through the gentle, spiked mass of hair on Yuugi's head, and crimson eyes closed, content. "To the park, that is. I ... found out something rather interesting." 

"Hm? What's that?" 

He chuckled at how dazed � drugged? � his beloved's voice sounded as he asked his question. "It's about two of your classmates. _Those_ two; Honda and Jounouchi." The distaste in his voice would have been nearly visible had the two had their eyes open; Yuugi himself shivered at the mention of those two particular names. He'd never had good experiences with either boy, as they both liked to stick their noses in where they didn't belong, and had a tendency to ridicule him for his preference of games over sports and the like. 

He pressed closer, pressing his lips to the skin of Atemu's neck for a moment before pulling back ever so slightly. "What about them?" 

"Hm. Do you remember how Anzu jokingly calls them 'attached-at-the-hip'?" At the gentle nod that he felt against his shoulder, he continued, "She may have been more correct with that statement that even she had anticipated." 

Yuugi pulled back suddenly at that, eyes snapping open as he stared at his other self in shock; crimson eyes opened slowly to look at him, disappointment and concern painted heavily into their gaze. "Are you serious?" A nod. "How? What, did you see them together?" Another nod. "You watched them?" A third nod. "Atemu! But you said you wouldn't ... oh! For how long!" 

"Hm? Nearly an hour, I think it was." 

"Atemu!" His voice was nearly a shriek now, and the former pharaoh found himself hard-pressed to keep from chuckling at how insanely adorable his little one could be when offended by an action. "Eavesdropping is wrong, and you promised you wouldn't do it! How _could_ you?" 

"It's not as though I went with the intention to spy, my partner," he said reasonably, reaching up to run his fingers through Yuugi's hair again. "I didn't even notice them there until I'd been stopped for a while, and then it'd been difficult to leave; they would have noticed me if I'd tried to, and it was rather entertaining, I thought." 

"That's besides the point." 

"I'm just telling it like it is. Or, was, rather." 

Yuugi sighed in frustration, apparently knowing when he was fighting a losing battle. "What did you do after that?" he asked, voice tinged with hopelessness, as though he were speaking to a lost cause. 

"I had the displeasure of seeing Jounouchi's father on the walk home." 

"Displeasure?" 

Crimson eyes seemed to grow unnaturally dark at this newly broached topic, and Atemu's voice was suddenly filled with contempt and anger. "I didn't imagine that people would raise a hand to their child in this time, little one. I don't approve of that, especially when there was no fault on the part of the one who would be harmed." Yuugi looked confused for a moment before his eyes lit up in recognition. 

"That's what I'd seen! I couldn't really put any faces to it or anything, but I saw a man who was dangerous ... and I saw 'familiar person,' but couldn't place them." Atemu raised an eyebrow, and Yuugi blushed as he realized that he'd begun rambling. However, he continued at an encouraging nod from his other self. "I felt that there was danger to this 'familiar person,' and I wanted to help them." 

Atemu nodded again, understanding now. "And your wish came through to me." 

"You helped him?" 

"For now, but it was only temporary. I may have to do something more in the future." Yuugi gave him a look that seemed to ask how soon it would be, and he smiled sadly at his young love. "The sooner that it is done, the better that it is for everyone." 

"I understand," Yuugi said, though concern touched his every word. He honestly wasn't quite sure why he was concerned, however; if the danger that he'd felt had been from Jounouchi's father to Jounouchi, the man should be dealt with accordingly, after all. It was only proper, as it really wasn't right for anyone to harm their child in any way. He shook his head, smiling some. "Was there anything else that you did?" 

"Not really. Well, I did set this up." 

"Ah, of course." 

"Mm, and I thought about a few things, but nothing really pressing just yet." He grinned, rolling them both over so that he was now leaning over his beloved partner. "I think that I have something much more important to take care of right now." He leaned in, pressing his lips onto Yuugi's once again. 

"Hm? Like what?" A playful grin as slender, pale arms wrapped around Atemu's neck to pull him closer; their mouths sealed together in another kiss, open to each other so that tongues would be free to play amongst one another. Yuugi moaned softly as Atemu ran his along the roof of his mouth, and then pressed in deeper, probing with an intense search and desire, almost as though he intended to make them into a single entity with this single kiss. However, just as Yuugi felt himself swimming in sensations, his other self pulled back again, looking at him worriedly. 

"Are you sure that you want this?" Yuugi blinked for a moment before noticing the desire and lust mixed into the love-filled crimson gaze that was fixed onto him; a slow nod was the only response that he could bring himself to give, words failing him. 

It was more than Atemu needed as their mouths found each other once again. 

- - -

School had been rather amusing in its own way that day, as ironic as the fact may have seemed. The moment that he had arrived in class that morning, there had been shouts for 'Yuugi' to join into the celebration for class 1-B being the most successful class in the spring festival; he had accept the congratulations of the other students, but had sat himself at his desk rather quickly. He had, however, noticed that many students were also complimenting Anzu's dancing, and he was glad to see the joy spread over her features at their kind words. 

Yuugi had also been ecstatic at hearing the compliments to his long-time friend; he had gone on about how much she deserved such comments as he and Atemu had listened to the other students speak. 

Another interesting moment had been when Jounouchi had entered the room, just minutes before the bell would ring. He'd glanced over at 'Yuugi' for a moment, eyes filled with gratitude for the briefest of moments before an unreadable mask settled over his features. It slipped for the briefest of moments when Honda placed a hand over the blonde's upper arm in greeting, however; Atemu noticed the briefest of winces and felt his blood boil as he realized what likely happened. 

His speculations were placed on hold when the teacher � Chono-sensei, he remembered - walked in, followed by a familiar, white-haired boy; he had been surprised at first, before remembering that the boy he had met two days earlier _had_ mentioned that he hadn't started school yet, but that he would be soon. He didn't pay much attention as the boy was introduced to the class and told where he should sit, losing himself in thoughts of what had occurred during and after his first meeting with Bakura Ryou. He was pulled from those thoughts when the kind, shy boy stopped in front of his desk with a warm smile and mentioned that he was glad they were in the same class before continuing on to his seat. 

He was sure that it had gone hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone. 

The day was filled with whispers and rumors after that. Not the best way to enter a school, Atemu was sure, and he truly felt sorry for Ryou. 

_**You really shouldn't have pawned him off on Anzu, you know,**_ Yuugi berated as he walked; school had been over for ten minutes, and Ryou had rushed to him almost as soon as the final bell had rung, asking if they could walk together, soon followed by Anzu, who had mentioned that she usually walked home with 'Yuugi.' Seeing the opportunity, Atemu had introduced the two as quickly as he could before suggesting that the two walk home together and get to know each other; he had apologized for having to rush off, saying that he needed to get home to help 'his grandfather' with the game shop. Anzu had said she understood, while Ryou had looked at him with a mixture of confusion, wonder, and awe sparkling in his gentle brown eyes. 

_I won't do it again, little one. Tomorrow we can walk home with the both of them, but today ..._ He frowned as he walked, looking around himself. When Yuugi had fallen asleep the night before, he had searched for an address that he would need, though he had hoped that it wouldn't have been the case quite so soon. Taking note of the signs, he nodded to himself before taking a turn and continuing on his way. _I would have today, but something important came to my attention this morning, before Ryou showed up in class._

_**Jounouchi, you mean?**_ The lack of response told Yuugi all that he needed to know, however, and Atemu felt the faint sigh from his partner as Yuugi pressed against him. _**Just be careful, Atemu. Please.**_

_I will._ He stopped, standing perfectly still for a moment and closing his eyes, allowing himself to feel Yuugi more fully; slender arms seemed to wrap around him, and he felt Yuugi's face pressed against his neck for a moment. _Are you alright with this, little one? I know that I promised I wouldn't do anything like this without your approval._

_**He does deserve it.**_

No further explanation was necessary; Atemu broke the more intimate contact as he sent a wave of apology to his little one, continuing on his way. It didn't take long for him to reach the apartment complex that he needed, and he made his way inside carefully, briefly thinking through the address that he had looked up the previous night before making his way up to the apartment that he needed. 

_Thump_, _thump_, _thump_. 

Three hard knocks on the door, followed by silence as he waited for someone to answer; he crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his foot impatiently as one minute, two, three passed by. 

Finally, the door opened, and the man from the day before stood there, glaring at him. "What do _you_ want? He's not home, so go find him wherever he's fucking around wasting his time." An ebony eyebrow rose, disapproving of both the words and the tone; he knew that the man likely expected for him to be there searching his classmate, considering the uniform. 

It wasn't as though he hadn't foreseen such a reaction, however. 

"I'm not here for your son, Jounouchi-_san_," he practically hissed out the honorific, showing that he clearly didn't feel that this was someone who deserved to be treated with the respect that such a hailing would signify. _He barely deserves to be called a sentient, living being, let alone a human._

Dark, slightly unfocused eyes turned onto him, and it was clear that this man had no idea who he was speaking to, nor did he seem to remember the encounter from the day before. 

"Then what the hell do you want? I'm busy, and I'm not giving to whatever crap fundraiser you're here about." 

"I'm not here about a fundraiser, either," he said coolly, placing his foot against the doorframe, just in case the man decided to attempt to shut the door. "I'm here to settle a score. Filth such as you deserves apt punishment, after all, and I'm the one who will make such a thing possible." He pushed the man with very little force at all, not surprised to see him stumble back some; his inebriated state was apparently one of few consistencies this 'man' held. 

"What the � the fuck are you talking about?" Anger touched each word that he spoke, along with a slur from the likely heavy amounts alcohol that Atemu could tell he had consumed recently, judging from the nauseating scent that poured off of him. It was so strong that one would almost think that the man _bathed_ in beer and whiskey. 

Atemu didn't answer him, however; instead, he closed the door behind himself and continued further into the apartment, looking around before finding two clean glasses and an unopened bottle of red wine. He looked at it with a raised eyebrow, not having expected to find any sort of wine in the home of one who abused alcoholic beverages the way that this man did � he seemed the sort who didn't quite have the refined tastes of those who savored wines the way that Atemu himself had in his time � but shrugged at the discovery, opening the bottle and taking a sniff at it. He quickly wished that he hadn't, for even the smell of it told him that it was far from being anywhere near decent. _It will have to do, I suppose._ He frowned at the thought, but took it to the table along with the two glasses, filling both halfway. 

"Sit, Jounouchi-_san_," he commanded, glaring at the man as he spoke with the same distaste as he had earlier. "You're to play a game with me; it's simple, really. We will sit at opposite ends of this table, and before each of us will rest a glass of wine." He motioned to the two glasses as the man warily came over and sat in the chair at the opposite end of the table; he wasn't entirely sure on why the man seemed so complacent, until he realized that he had already brought out the shadows before he had intended to. _That was a mistake. Oh well, it made things easier, at least._ He looked at the man evenly before taking his seat. "We will both have to reach for our glass once this game begins. However ..." 

"'However,' _what_? I don't have time for your childish games, so hurry and be done with it!" 

"Shut up and you'll hear. The winner of this game will be he whose desires do not get the better of him. The one who wishes only to overindulge his lust of drink will be faced with many obstacles; the one who manages to control those urges will be faced with few to none. Be warned, though, the worse that your urges become, the more likely you are to fall into a vicious trap that might even cost you the hand with which you reach. The first one to successfully obtain his glass and bring it to his lips for his first sip of the wine will be the winner. Should you lose, however, Jounouchi-_san_, you will be forced to play a penalty game." 

"You call this a challenge!" the man spat out, immediately reaching for the glass. "I'm not impressed by your fancy talk, you goddamned little cockroach! If I want the drink, I'll get the damned drink." Atemu raised an eyebrow at him as the shadows closed around them both. Almost as soon as they did, a ring formed around the man's forearm; the open space of its center was large enough for the man's hand and the glass to get through, if he were careful not to move too much as he drew the glass out. The inner edge of the ring was a sharp razor. 

A low growl emanated from his throat, and he kept moving his hand forward. "Your stupid lightshows mean nothing." His eyes shone with a sickened wish for the alcohol, and almost immediately, four knives shot out from the shadow at perfect forty-five-degree angles from each other, suspended in the air and forming a box around his forearm, closer to the glass than the ring. Another growl, another glint in his eyes, and Atemu felt Yuugi wince within him and look away as the man grabbed onto the glass just as it grew jagged splinters that cut into his hand. 

Finally, Atemu calmly reached up and made a move for his own glass; slow, calculated movements that spoke an indescribable grace. His hand closed around the smooth surface of the glass, and he calmly brought it back to himself with no difficulty. He raised an eyebrow at the fuming man as he raised the glass to his lips, crimson eyes closing and he took a small sip; at the same moment that the dry, almost rancid wine � in comparison to any he'd had as pharaoh of Kemet, and in comparison to any greater wines of the current time, he was sure � touched his tongue, he heard the unmistakable sound of glass shattering and liquid hitting the wooden surface of the table. Shards of glass splintered into the hand and wrist of Jounouchi's father, the four knives fell, nicking the man's arm, and the razor ring shattered, also splintering into the his forearm. 

Atemu leaned back in his chair, placing his glass calmly onto the table and opening his eyes. "I believe you asked if this was a challenge; for me, perhaps not so much. Something as cheap as this 'wine' would never tempt me, but for you it was a deathtrap waiting to happen, wasn't it?" He smirked, standing. "One such as you � a man who would harm and take advantage of his own son � deserves to be knocked down and punished. Until you atone for your own crimes, you will live in that punishment. _That_ is your fate." 

"Why you ..." 

"I told you, Jounouchi-_san_, your loss means participation in a penalty game. That is what occurs to any who lose a game within the darkness of the shadows. You lost, and now you must pay the price of admission!" He raised his left hand, holding it palm-out to the man. "Penalty Game! Blurred Emptiness; live within the world where the words of all who speak to you become slurred beyond recognition, the world where no amount of attempts will allow you to see clearly. Enjoy your time in a life where no amount of drink or food will ever remove the emptiness that you feel. A fitting punishment for your overindulgence and crimes; you'll be unable to do anything to harm your son, and the only way back to our world is if that part of you is dead." 

_**Are we done, my other self?**_

_Yes, love. We're done here. Your classmate will be safe now, so �_ His thoughts cut off, however, as the shadows dissipated and he noticed two pairs of brown eyes staring at him incredulously. _Well, shit._

"What the hell is going on here!" Jounouchi looked from the table covered in shattered glass, metal, wine, and knives, to his father's bloody arm, to 'Yuugi,' trying to figure out just how everything fit together. The words that he'd heard the boy speak, the almost ethereal tone in his voice, had sent the strangest shivers down his spine. 

"Nothing to concern yourself with, Jounouchi," Atemu said simply, walking around him. "Though you may want to clean your father's arm up; it would seem that he may be rather incapacitated for a while and unable to do so himself." 

"What the hell did you do?" Honda demanded, grabbing onto his shoulder and forcing him to turn around. "And what are you doing here?" Atemu raised an eyebrow again, almost amused; if he didn't know any better, he'd almost say that Honda seemed more annoyed with the fact that Atemu had gotten to Jounouchi's father before he did. 

"How did you even know where I live?" 

"It's not so difficult to look things up, you know. Now, if you'll excuse me ..." He tried to turn, but the grip on his shoulder did not loosen, keeping him in place. 

"You're not going anywhere until you explain to us what the fuck is going on here, what you did, _why_ you're here in the first place, and what the hell you are!" Jounouchi seemed completely spooked as he spoke � nearly shouted, really. 

_And this is why I was hoping to finish before anyone showed up ..._ Atemu thought to himself as he tried to figure out the least incriminating way to answer the 'questions.' He felt Yuugi's consciousness press against him worriedly and sent a wave of reassuring comfort to keep him from growing too concerned; he then prepared to face the music, as it were, and give his response. 

The door slammed open just as he opened his mouth, however, and all three teenagers turned to see who was there; not a single one was left unsurprised at the white-haired teenager that they saw standing there, looking much crueler and infinitely more calculating than he had at school and when Atemu had run into him a couple of days earlier after the festival. Disinterested brown eyes scanned the room before coming to rest on the golden, inverted pyramid puzzle hanging around 'Mutou Yuugi's' neck, and a vicious smirk settled onto his lips. "So we meet again, _bloodthirsty pharaoh_. But this time, revenge and victory _will_ be mine." 

- - -

**Disclaimer:** Yuugiou is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. I do not claim any right to the series or its characters, and I should probably apologize for the hell I'm likely to be putting them through in this story.   
**Other Note:** I'm _very, very sory_ for this chapter taking so long. I got hit with massive writer's block for about two months and was unable to come up with anything decent. I hope that what I finally decided on for this chapter doesn't disappoint people too badly. 


	7. Chapter 7: Hatred

**If the World Doesn't Want Me**   
Hatred   
by Josie

"Tomb robber; I should have expected you." Thinly veiled anger permeated the tone of his voice as he glared at the other, taller male. "You always have had a tendency to stick your nose in where it does not belong. My kingdom, my partner's mind; you had no right to enter and attempt to destroy either." 

"Preaching as always, I see, _bloodthirsty pharaoh_." He stepped forward, past the doorway without even sparing a glance to the blonde and brunette standing between him and his quarry. Upon his lips was the smirk of the cat who had caught the canary, and he moved with a slow precision that was almost maddening in its form. The shorter male took a step back, eyeing him uncertainly as he continued to advance, cursing himself mentally for the show of fear. "I'll be where I want to." 

"Bloodthirsty ..." he scoffed, strength growing back slowly. "And aren't you a fine one to talk about such lust; you, the one who would destroy an entire kingdom for the sake of satiating your own revenge-driven thirst for the sake of your village. You, who placed the blame on me, on all of my priests, when only one even knew what had transpired to incur your wrath; you dragged even a dead king into your revenge, when he had only learned the truth not long before his death." He scrunched his nose in distaste as he looked up into the thief's eyes; cold and heartless brown locked onto fiery and fierce crimson, a dare in each for the other to try to look away. "Was it worth it? Would Kuruelna have been worth the blood of thousands just for you to have your revenge? Was bringing the anger of the gods onto you truly worth it? You had no right to drag my father and my kingdom into your revenge; you had no right to disturb his rest as you did." 

"And _he_ had no right to kill all of those that he did. Criminals? _Thieves_? Does it matter who it _was_; they were all living before his order went out to carve his trinkets from their deaths." An unearthly rage glimmered in his eyes, and he shook with unsteady rage. "Are you so arrogant, pharaoh? That you would say that he had the _right_ to take their lives? Who is the true criminal, then? Murder in the name of sacrifice for the _good of the kingdom_? For _power_ -" 

But his tirade was cut off as Atemu interjected, tone regal as it had been during his rule thousands of years earlier, "And he had no _knowledge_ of what would be done!" 

Silence overtook the room as the two glared at each other, neither wishing to give the other an edge in the matter; they stood, unblinking, as seconds turned to minutes. The air seemed to freeze with an otherworldly chill as undying anger and revulsion rolled from the two in intense waves. Two of a kind and yet polar opposites in every way, they continued to glare at one another with blatant animosity visible in their eyes. The world around them seemed as though it ceased to exist. Hostility surged between them in a thick, almost intense haze that seemed to grow darker and deeper with each passing moment. 

It seemed almost as though nothing would break through their attention to get them to focus on what was occurring around them; the room's other two occupants stared in an almost sickened yet amazed awe, with the sort of fascination that one looks upon a train wreck with. It was a situation where all logic tells a person that he or she should really look away, and yet it is impossible to tear his or her eyes off of it. The silence grew thicker, almost suffocating, before Jounouchi decided that they just couldn't allow it to go any further. "Um ..." Two pairs of angered, deadly eyes turned onto him in heated, hating glares, and he gulped, taking one step away, back towards where Honda stood, eyeing the two warily. "Listen, fun as this all is and all, just ... why are you guys here, anyway?" He took another step back as the white-haired teenager's lips twisted into a vicious smirk, mentally noting uneasily that the other looked as though he would kill a person readily and with no regard. 

"Why? He wants to know why?" He seemed almost amused, if it were at all possible, and he stepped away from his adversary to walk towards the blonde and brunette. "Oh, I'm sure your little _friend_ here, this _great avenger_ could tell you just why we're here. He's the reason for it all, after all ... he's the one who brought everything to here. Isn't that _right_, bloodthirsty pha-" But he was cut off by a distinct, ferocious hiss, and he turned to see crimson eyes narrowed into slits. 

"You'd do well to hold your tongue, thief." There was no mercy, no remorse - no concern - in his tone. He straightened some, a taunt in his every movement and stance. "So you bring the fight to me, to here, do you? Then, I suppose that I should oblige." Soulless brown eyes narrowed for a moment before widening marginally in realization; he hadn't noticed the shadows surrounding them before, enhancing their senses, their power. It worked to his advantage, all the same. 

"So you would fight me here, in my domain?" 

"It is as much mine as yours, tomb robber; I didn't spend the past three millennia trapped within these shadows only to gain no hold of their power." A flick of his wrist, quick, precise; a card appeared between his index and middle fingers, and he looked at it for a moment before smiling gently. "This will do more than well enough, I believe; I'm sure that _you_ would remember him. He plagued your existence after what you did: Black Magician." He held the card before him, turning its face to the other male before continuing in a voice so low that even Yuugi, within him, had to strain to make out the words. "My old friend ... I would be honored to have you fight by my side again." 

As the violet-clad spellcaster appeared before him, blue eyes glaring down at his opponent, the thief smirked in triumph, laughing wickedly. "Oh yes, you call upon _him_, do you! The one who you failed so horribly in the past! Of course he would do your bidding, wouldn't he, pharaoh?" he smirked, stepping forward without any fear. "Yes, of course. He gave his life for you before, so why wouldn't he do it all over again. Some can't _wait_ to die, after all." His eyes danced with a nauseating glee as he practically danced his way across the floor with light-footed, mocking steps. "Fail him again, as you have before; you're no different than you were then, pharaoh. You could never do anything properly. You vow to protect those important to you, and yet you showed me all too readily just what a useless brat you really are with how you failed to do a _thing_ for your host. You're washed up, pharaoh; you're a failure." 

Atemu stared at the white-haired thief in horror at the mention of his friend's death. _Failure ...?_ He shivered, deadly crimson eyes softening before becoming overrun with fear. _My failure; every time that I've let someone down, I never did anything to even attempt to stop it. Is that right? Did I really - could I really have?_ He shook his head, gaze dropping to the floor. _I didn't stop him from harming Yuugi; I just picked up the pieces after the fact. I allowed him to kill Mahaado, because I didn't even bother to find out where he was going. I failed them both, and yet ... and yet they still stand here beside me? How can they even stand to look at me?_

_**Atemu ...!**_

"Master, it's not -" 

"No ..." he whispered, barely audible, but with more than enough conviction in his tone. "No, he's right. I did fail you; I failed both of you. I wasn't there when you needed me to be, and for that, each of you was -" 

_**But I'm still here! I'm fine, because you came for me! Because you saved me; your concern - your love - saved me, Atemu. You know that!**_

He didn't make a response, instead staring at his opponent with blank, defeated eyes. In his mind's eye, all that he could see - all that he could feel - were those moments of his own complete failures and defeat. The exact moment of Mahaado's sacrificial death in his name, at the hands of the tomb robber; the piercing pain and loss that bit through him like a knife was as fresh as it had been in the first instant all of these years later. Returning to Yuugi's soul room to find it completely destroyed, running to his own to find the boy hanging in the style of crucifixion, blood liberally sprayed and pooled onto every surface imaginable; he'd never felt such desolation - such helplessness - as he had at seeing Yuugi in such a vulnerable position, so near death. The thoughts could not be shaken from his mind, and he stared hopelessly at his enemy. 

"Master, you never failed me - never failed _us_. I willingly gave my life in order to help you in the only way that I could see at the time. There were no other options, and I would gladly sacrifice myself to protect you again if need be." Clear blue eyes stared into clouded crimson; a knowledge and understanding passed from one into the other. Here was the pharaoh's greatest friend, most loyal priest, and sworn servant, telling his childhood friend and ruler that he would never abandon him, no matter what 'wrongs' others believed his pharaoh had committed against him. He knew, as no others besides him would, that his friend, his pharaoh, would never wrong him in any way; the young leader was far too compassionate for such cruelty. 

"Mahaado ..." A small hope for redemption glimmered in soulless, lost eyes; a plea for salvation. 

"Let us support you." 

_**Please ... Atemu ...!**_

The thief, however, scoffed at their words. "Support, indeed," he mocked, smirking cruelly. "Yes, _pharaoh_! Take their support! Use them, as you've used them before. Let them die for you, because what worth do their lives have if not to be taken in your name?" 

"Stop ..." 

"Newsflash, _pharaoh_; you're not a king anymore, and you were never a god. I don't care what _lies_ you liked to believe, they were never true, and they never will be." He smirked, stepping closer and grabbing Atemu by the collar of his shirt, hauling him up with little difficulty; the one-time king did not even attempt to fight back. A feral grin. "I'll spell it out for you: you are and always were merely a spoiled brat. Everything was always what you wanted, when you wanted it; you held no regard for anyone other than yourself, and you still don't. I'm going to enjoy taking you down, _bloodthirsty pharaoh_." A victorious smirk; the light of hope in Atemu's eyes faded. 

- - -

It had all started out as a twitching in the nerves in his left eye socket. They were reacting to something that he couldn't quite determine at first, but it soon became clear: somewhere, the darkness was stirring with use. Somewhere, other Items were being used for some purpose or another. 

He was intrigued, to say the least; there was something that seemed interesting - almost useful - about it, and he was positive that, above all else, it was a very, very _important_ matter. 

He had been pondering recent developments for at least a week by this point; little pangs of longing to be elsewhere that assaulted him at random had become more and more frequent. Sometimes, he was drawn back towards Egypt, the country which had given him so much already through the knowledge that he had gained there and the ideas that had been formed. At other times, he was drawn almost inexplicably towards Japan. This time, he felt that was the place that called to him. 

It had been going off and on for well over a month, in all truth. He couldn't quite tell exactly what it was that had set the pull on him off, but he had been positive that he needed to be there, nonetheless; the new feeling of power stirring only served to deepen his urge to go, making him all the more glad that he would be leaving for the land of the rising sun the next morning. After all, if there were Items there, then it was the best possible place for him to be present. 

He needed them, after all, and he apparently would certainly put them to much better use than whoever had them now; he, at least, would use them for a purpose instead of for the furthering of personal power through fighting. He would use them for something amazing, something _wonderful_ - something that they had perhaps never been used for before. They held some hidden secret - hidden power - and he was certain that he could tap into it and bring her back. His beautiful, perfect, and beloved fianc�e ... 

He missed her; he had missed her greatly ever since her untimely death. They had been perfect for each other in every way, but fate had decided to stick her hand in where she was not wanted and tear them apart. 

Losing his beloved Cyndia had only proven to show just how much she meant to him, however; he would do anything to be with her again, anything at all. There were times when he was certain that he would even give his own life, if only she could live again. She didn't deserve death; she was too kind, too gentle to ever deserve death. He would put his life as an offering if fate would only reverse her decision for Cyndia's life. 

That was where the Items came in, of course; he would get them and use them to bring his beloved back. He didn't need a bargain with fate if he had something with enough power to do what he needed. It was a perfect plan, really; all he needed now was the materials to set his plan into action, and that would be easy enough. Even if someone attempted to hide an Item from him, he would just find out about it without any real effort at all. 

For now, however, he had more important issues to deal with; the plans for his trip had just been finalized, placed under the guise of a business trip that he would be taking to promote his company's newest and great product. He just needed to decide on exactly where he needed to be and when he needed to be there; unfortunately, he was not being drawn to any particular area of Japan, and his Eye did not allow him the opportunity to scan the thoughts of people out of a certain range for him. _This is proving to be more difficult than I had first anticipated,_ he mused, glancing towards the photo frame on his desk. _But I doubt it will be too much trouble once I am there; they can't hide from me forever._

It didn't cross his mind that whoever held the other Items may not particularly _want_ to give them up to him; it was almost absurd to consider such a possibility, really, as he wouldn't truly be taking them forever. He would merely _borrow_ the Items to complete his task; once he had his fianc�e back in his arms, he would have no further use for any Millennium Item at all. 

A pale hand reached out to gently caress the glass of the frame; a reverent and loving gesture towards the lovely blonde smiling in the photograph encased within. One golden brown eye softened as he looked upon her features, then retracted his hand and brushed back the curtain of silver hair that took the opportunity to fall into his right eye. _Will it work ...?_ The question reared its head at times, whenever he felt the most doubt about his carefully laid-out plans. _He said that it held the power to bring back a life, but he never said that it would be any life ..._

Suddenly, that one eye hardened, and he sat back, spine straightening. _No,_ he thought fiercely. _No, it **has** to work. It **will** work. Nothing will keep me from being with her once again._

A maddened, crazed glow seemed to light up his right eye, and if anyone were to look closely enough, the glint of light catching on gold could be seen from under the silver hair that covered his left eye. It was the look of a man who had lost himself to his own plans for revenge and lust; it was the look of a man on a mission, and Pegasus J. Crawford would not be stopped until he reached his goal. 

- - -

_I can't ... Yuugi, I just can't._ His thoughts were like a choked whisper, bound and broken by a fear that he was certain that he had never felt before. _I can't do this. There's no way for me to -_

_**Don't say that; I know that you can, even if you don't believe in it.**_ There was a pause, and Atemu felt something wash over him, powerful, wishful emotions that took over his entire being. Love, determination, faith, hope; they came together in an attempt to give him the courage and strength that he needed. _**I'm with you, Atemu, no matter what. I believe in you, and I know that you can do this. You're better than this! So please ... please don't give up. Not now. You saved me before; I thought that I would die, I was so afraid that you wouldn't come for me, but you did. That's how I know that you can beat this now.**_

He shook his head slowly in denial, too afraid by what he could possibly lose if he chose to stand his ground and fight. "My fault," he whispered, a slow chill working its way down his spine. He shivered at the sensation, bowing his head. Crimson eyes, dulled of their ferocity and fire, remained fixated to the floor, and he tried his hardest to block out the outside world. "It's my fault. Mahaado's death ... your pain ... how could I honestly believe that I'd be able to do anything here?" 

"That's right, _pharaoh_. Everything that you touch withers to nothing. You are worthless, helpless, and alone. Who would help a _cursed_ pharaoh who thought only of himself and never of his kingdom? The real reason for its fall ... it's all on your shoulders!" A smirk of sickening glee formed on the thief's lips as he took a step forward. "The deaths of thousands of people; the blame for all of that rests on your shoulders alone because you were too self-absorbed to care about what your actions might cause for your kingdom. Do you remember their screams as their blood satiated the sands? The pleas for mercy?" A laugh that bordered on insane, high-pitched and piercing; the one-time king flinched at the sound, taking a step back. "Your thirst for power, for blood; you may as well have driven the swords into their hearts yourself. Oh, but they _worshipped_ you still, _pharaoh_. How could then not, knowing that any other action would get them killed?" 

"_Enough_!" 

"It is _never_ enough. Your fault? Truly it is!" 

He flinched again, shivering again in fear. Before him, the violet-robed spellcaster faltered for a moment before turning to him and taking a few steps forward. "Master," he whispered, concern and perhaps a bit of pity in his voice. "Please do not listen to his lies. You were never a bad king." 

The words, however, went unheeded as he fell to his knees in defeat. A bitter silence fell over the room, and none dared even move as the tomb robber glared down at the pharaoh. 

"Yuugi." The sound was tentative, unsure, but it broke the silence nonetheless. "Don't listen to him." The young man trembled once, twice, before slowly bringing his head up and looking over his shoulders. Red eyes showed a childlike fear as he gazed at the brunette behind him in shock. "You can feel it, right? You know what he's doing, so why are you letting it bring you down?" Jounouchi turned his head to look at Honda at those words, mouth hanging agape as he tried to comprehend just what his boyfriend was doing. "Groundless taunts; it's all an attempt to keep you from trying to fight him. But then who is the one afraid? How can you be the one with true fear when he's the one avoiding the fight!" 

"True fear ...?" Crimson eyes closed slowly, remaining shut for a moment before reopening; a strange determination seemed to glow within them as they gazed upon the brunette, and Atemu nodded slightly. _That's right ... there is something to these words, something not quite right. A bluff?_

The blonde raised an eyebrow before stepping forward. "Stand and fight, then! If you face his bluff head-on, you can do it, right?" 

"But are you sure that you want to do that, _pharaoh_?" The words followed Jounouchi's with barely a hair's breadth between them, and Atemu's head snapped around to look at the tomb robber again. "You know what might happen if you do as they say. Yes, stand and fight, by all means, but who will you _condemn_ this time? Your precious host? Perhaps the two fools, even. Or ..." He trailed off, teeth showing in a vicious grin. "Do you condemn her?" 

Atemu frowned, looking to where the thief pointed behind himself; his eyes widened in horror as he realized just who 'her' referred to. "Anzu!" Immediately, he was on his feet; immediately, he began forward, only to be pushed back by an invisible barrier. Growling, he pounded on it with his right fist, and behind him, he could hear the cries of outrage from Yuugi's two classmates, screaming at the thief for being so cowardly as to use a helpless female as a hostage. That was when he noticed it. 

Anzu was not moving, save for the steady rise and fall of her chest as her body breathed. 

- - -

It was a strange feeling; little more than a nudge at the back of his mind more than anything else, really, but a strange feeling, nonetheless. Unnerving in some ways, and definitely something that he had never felt before, a more superstitious man might have said that it was the work of some sort of magic. 

To believe such a thing, of course, would be foolishness; magic did not exist. 

Somewhere, he felt a small tug towards the past along with that nudge; it was something so distant, from a time so long ago, that it seemed almost ethereal in nature. Most would shiver at the chilling implications that came along with it, a hint of a haunting past filled with intrigue and war. 

Again, however, it would be foolishness to believe that feeling. The past did not matter, only the future. 

So, it was with an unsettling growl that Kaiba Seto tossed his pen down onto his desk and turned towards the window, glaring out to the view of Domino City as he tried to shake that unnerving feeling in the back of his head. At first, he almost thought that it was possibly just that he'd neglected to make note of something in one of the various reports for his company that he had been reading through earlier that day; it wasn't something that happened to him often - he had always had an almost disturbing attention to detail - but he _was_ human, and human error could always occur. 

But he had skimmed through those reports again already, and had found no such instances of error. He had shaken the thought from mind, only to have it return minutes later. This time, he had wondered if perhaps there had been something that he'd forgotten for Mokuba; even rarer than missing a point on the reports, that had also been known to happen at least once or twice in the past. But that hadn't been it, either; it couldn't have possibly been that, really. After all, Mokuba was sitting on the couch in his office, idly shifting through cards and toys that he had fallen in love with at one time or another. The last time that he had forgotten something for his younger brother, the boy had spent the rest of the day glaring at him and complaining about how much he wished he could maybe have a _normal_ brother for a change; a brother who wasn't such a workaholic. Sure, he had apologized later that evening, but Seto knew Mokuba well enough to know that the boy would go on another such tirade should he forget another event for him. 

The pricking in the back of his mind persisted, however, even after he had determined that it also hadn't been something involving his brother; in fact, it seemed to get worse with each passing moment. He felt anger, desperation, and sheer revulsion hit him in waves, all emotions tied to a fight. The entire situation was shaping up to give him a rather large headache. Above all else, that was something that he couldn't really afford at the moment. 

Leaning back in his chair, he continued to glare out the window, wondering just what could be causing this feeling of a fight in his mind; closing his eyes, he was sure that he could make out two distinct figures, surrounded by a cloud of inky black shadows. A frown creased his brow, and he felt a growl bubble up from the depths of his throat; this wasn't helping him in any way. 

If, then, he were to actually contribute the feeling to some foreign 'fight' that was indicative of the past, he might find himself close to being locked away in an asylum. After all, what _sane_ person could possibly say that he was feeling a fight between two people who may or may not have been alive in the present day? It just wasn't _natural_ in any way whatsoever, and he didn't like the implications that fact held, either. The more that he thought about it, the more he hated the whole situation. 

Still, he could not shake it, regardless of how much it annoyed him to no end; that feeling of something important happening, something that might require his attention; it would not go away, no matter how hard he tried to force it to. It was as though, whatever was happening, _he_ was involved somehow, and he couldn't quite understand how he would ever, _ever_ end up being involved in some sort of mystical bullshit. It denied all sense of logic that he had ever known. 

Either way, that he was involved somehow made it worthy of at least _some_ attention, he supposed, so he gave the matter some thought. Somehow, he would find out exactly what was going on, and he would deal with it. Until then, he would ride the feeling out and not give too much concern to the matter. When it arose again, as he knew somehow that it would, he would find out more. And if it did anything - anything at all - to compromise his brother, his lifestyle, or his company? 

He'd crush it instantly. 

- - -

"Tomb robber, what have you done to her?" He shook with a barely suppressed rage as he stood, stepping forward. "What have you _done_ to her!" 

"My, my, pharaoh, so impatient; you don't even bother to hear the terms of our _game_ before you begin to yell!" He stepped forward, a devious smirk again on his lips. There was a sauntering swagger to his step, and he seemed to have a look in his eyes that showed that he fully believed himself to have already won. 

Atemu's eyes narrowed. _'Game'? He considers toying with the lives of others to be a **game**? I will not accept this ... I will not accept him dragging in more people who don't even have anything to do with this war that he has waged upon me._ He straightened his spine and glared up into the other's eyes. "Let her go." The white-haired young man simply shook his head, grinning that infernal grin, and Atemu growled out, "_Fine_. The _terms_, then." 

_**Atemu, no! Don't do this ... what if ... what if she -**_

_I will not allow for your friend to be harmed, little one. I promise you that._

"It's quite simple, pharaoh. You have to choose." The same triumphant smirk remained on his lips as he spoke, and he stepped forward again before motioning behind himself in Anzu's direction, and then behind Atemu - in the direction of Jounouchi and Honda. "It rests on the choice that you will make. Do you see now? You must decide, _pharaoh_! This girl or the two who have always ignored your host; it is your decision who lives and who dies!" 

_Who lives ...?_ His brow furrowed at the words, and he looked away for a moment, eyes glazing over in thought before widening in shock and horror. _He couldn't ...!_ He stepped back once, head snapping back up to look at the thief. "You wouldn't possibly ..." 

"Wouldn't I? I believe all you have to do is simply look to your precious host to know if I would, pharaoh." 

He turned away, glancing towards the Black Magician before looking at the ground. _I can't make this choice, Yuugi. I can't condemn them like that._

_**I know ... I ...**_ He paused, pressing up against Atemu's consciousness as much as he could; his other self could feel his fear almost as though it were his own, and he shivered at the contact. _**They've never been particularly kind to me, and they never paid much attention to what I did unless it was something that lead to an embarrassing situation, but ... but they don't deserve to ... nobody ever deserves to die, so I can't ...**_

_Well, that's not entirely true ..._ His thoughts were akin to a gentle murmur, and he felt his partner's confusion. He shook his head again, almost sadly this time, before continuing to explain. _There are some who deserve the punishment of death because their crimes are so heinous that there is nothing else that will suffice. But these two ... they have not committed anything so atrocious. This decision is nothing to be taken lightly._

"What are you waiting for?" His head snapped up, and he looked at the thief in annoyance before realizing that it was not his voice that had spoken. Blinking, he looked around himself before resting his eyes on the blonde that stood there. "How about I make this simple for you, Yuugi? As long as we've got life in us, we're going to fight. So help her; she can't do anything to save herself right now, so you have to get her out of this, got it?" 

A grateful smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he nodded once - a sharp, firm nod of understanding - before turning back to face his opponent. No sooner had he done so, however, than everything around him seemed to swirl like the inside of a kaleidoscope. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it before turning to his left to find his spellcaster companion still with him; other than that, he was perfectly alone in this strange, new place, however. _Part of his so-called game ...?_ he pondered, trying to assess his surroundings before he made a move. "Mahaado ... can you find them? I know that they'll try to fight, but this is -" 

"Too much for an ordinary human to handle," the violet-robed man finished for him, nodding some. "I'll find them, pharaoh, one way or another." Almost before he finished speaking, he faded from view, and Atemu looked at the empty space where his friend had been sadly. 

"Find them, please ... and keep them safe," he whispered before starting on his own way; it was his goal, after all, to find Yuugi's long-time friend and keep her out of harm's way. One step at a time, he moved, cautious of what he may find or run into; it was a strange place that he had never been in before, a maze that he was certain would prove as deadly as it was mysterious. _Anzu ..._ his mind whispered, reaching out for the girl to no avail. _Where has he hidden you now?_

_**Be careful, Atemu.**_ A quick warning; he closed his eyes, smiling softly as he reached within himself to send the sensation of a gentle caress to his partner, and he felt the boy purr in response before he regained his composure. _**Is this really the time for that?**_ he queried jokingly, light laughter tainting his words, making them lose the admonishing effect that he'd intended to have taint them. He pressed against Atemu's consciousness again, trying his hardest to aid his other self's search. 

The two observed the surroundings silently, Yuugi flinching within his soul's room every now and then at the scenery around them; Atemu's lips settled into a grim line as he closed his eyes. _Rather hellish, isn't it?_ he mused before beginning to walk. _I can't imagine that he'd be keeping Anzu anywhere that's even remotely better than this, sadly. Are you positive that you're up to this, little one? You don't have to look if you don't want to._

_**But I want to help you to find her.**_ He nodded, understanding the sentiment perfectly as he continued on his way. She was, after all, the one who had been by Yuugi's side for so many years - the one who had defended him and stood by him no matter what it had made others think of her. In a way, Atemu himself had already begun to feel a rather strong admiration for the girl's spirit and how she always seemed to remain true to herself. It was a trait that few seemed to have. 

And so he continued along, unsure of just what he would find in front of himself as he did so. Each step was more careful than the last, and he paused often, whispering reassurances to his partner - he did not dare admit that they were largely to calm himself down, as well - as often as he could. It was silent, almost deathly so, and the maze seemed to stretch on forever. One hand to the wall at all times, he worked his way through as best as he could, always hoping that his next turn would bring him to his beloved's friend. Each turn, he was disappointed. 

He refused to give up, however; he could not let his little one down the way that he would be if he gave up on finding his friend. Each step brought him both closer and yet further from his goal, he knew. There was no way that the thief would be anywhere near either Anzu or Jounouchi and Honda, so whoever he went after, he would still not be able to fully end whatever it was that was being set into motion. 

It was the uncertainty of it that sent chills down his spine. 

It was the uncertainty of it that sent chills down his spine. Each moment passed with a sense of dread, a question of if he would make it in time. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had already begun to attempt to formulate a plan to manage to save all at risk, even knowing that he likely couldn't. 

Another step, and suddenly a heart-wrenching scream tore through the air. 

_**Anzu!**_

- - -

It was cold, dark, and strangely alone. He was certain that, mere seconds earlier, there had been someone right by his side, but now the space was perfectly still, as though it had been empty for an extended period of time; rather unnerving, really. He reached one hand out cautiously, unsure of just why fear gripped like a vice at his heart as he moved, but his outstretched hand hit nothing, closed upon nothing, and his heart pounded with racing beats. The sound reached his own ears, hollow. 

_Where is he?_ he thought, mind racing for an answer as a brown-eyed gaze darted around the empty darkness. Disappointment, dread, and helplessness began to wash over him as he confirmed what he was most afraid of: absolutely nothing - and no one, more specifically - was there. A strangled, choked cry of frustration bubbled up from the depths of his throat, and he took a step forward. "I know you're here somewhere. I just have to find you ..." 

He ran his hand through his hair as he tried to gather his thoughts - a nervous habit, he knew - and he slowly began to calm his pounding heart. It would do him no good to give into his fears, not when he had something to do, someone to find. _Besides,_ he remembered, _this is something that he can't stand. It's too spooky for him, I'm sure. So I have to find him, before anything happens ... and before he possibly does something stupid._ Easier said than done, he knew. 

He continued to take careful steps, keeping one hand out in front of himself; his eyes were yet to adjust to the darkness surrounding him, and he couldn't be sure if there was anything that he might run into. Slowly, cautiously he walked, glancing around in a vain attempt to decipher his surroundings, but the blackness just seemed to go on endlessly. "This won't get me anywhere," he muttered, stopping in his tracks. "Jounouchi! Where are you!" But his shout remained unanswered. 

A frustrated sigh; he quickened his pace, hand hitting against a solid, smooth wall. Just what I need, his mind rejoiced in victory. At the very least, it would provide him with some form of a pathway, as long as he kept alongside it. He continued along, practically at a run as he redoubled his efforts to find the other young man. _Just stay safe, and I'll find you somehow._ He knew, even as the words passed through his consciousness, that the blonde would kill him if he'd ever spoken them. 

Jounouchi hated being thought of as someone that needed protecting. He said that it made him sound weak. 

Suddenly, however, he lost his balance towards the side where he had been pressing his hand against the wall; quickly, he regained his footing and turned towards the opening that he hadn't expected, quickly finding the wall again and taking off at a run down the corridor. He had no idea if he was even going remotely in the correct direction, but he knew that he couldn't waste time questioning the decision, so he ran as fast as he could. 

_Wait for me, and I'll find you._

It didn't even cross his mind that the other young man didn't have the same thought running through his mind, except, perhaps, more panicked. He didn't think for even a moment that he would end up colliding into the one that he sought.And so it was a distinct - though not entirely unpleasant, to either boy - surprise when they did literally run into each other; a shocked, almost embarrassingly frightened yell tore from the Jounouchi's mouth as he fell back, only to be caught by the brunette who had been searching for him. "Would you stop that? Give a guy a heart attack, seriously ..." he muttered as he pulled the blonde back up, hands on the boy's shoulders as he leaned in to look into the other's eyes. 

"Honda ...?" 

"Who else? Don't tell me your brain got fried now, too." 

A punch landed on his shoulder roughly, leaving a stinging - almost dully throbbing - pain in its wake. "Jerk. And who are you to talk about giving a heart attack, anyway? How the hell was I supposed to know that you weren't one of -" But he cut off before he finished his sentence, turning his head away, half angry, half ashamed. 

"One of what?" His eyes narrowed protectively - almost dangerously possessive - and his grip on the blonde's shoulders tightened. "Were you running from something, then?" The other turned his face away each time that Honda attempted to look into his eyes, and his mind raced for any kind of answer as to why. _It would go a long way to explaining why he screamed when we ran into each other._ He let one of his hands trail down Jounouchi's arm, wrapping his arm around the blonde's waist. "Shh ... you don't have to be afraid to tell me anything. You know that." A brush of hair against the cheek as the boy that he held pressed closer and nodded; it was easy for him to get the blonde to calm down, at least. "What was after you, Jounouchi? You have to tell me." 

"So you can protect me from it, huh?" he muttered bitterly, tone displaying clearly how deeply he despised the sentiment. "I don't need protecting, Honda." 

A brown eyebrow raised sharply, skeptical. "But you are afraid." A blunt statement; he left no room for argument with it, and it didn't seem as though Jounouchi was going to protest the matter in the first place. They stood there, not daring to move, and Honda whispered, "I know it looks bad, and I know you hate this kind of stuff, but I'm here for you. So just lean on me if you need to, alright? I won't let anything happen." He felt another nod against his cheek and smiled in spite of himself. 

"Feel important saying that?" But it held no anger this time; instead, he seemed to almost be laughing as he asked his question. Honda's grin widened. 

"Just a little bit," he said in response, mirth coloring his words as well, but a grim sort of determination underlay them as he repeated, "Just a little bit." It was a difficult thing to admit, the fear that still pulled at him and whispered into the back of his mind that they were very likely to die, no matter what they attempted to do to save themselves. It hurt to think that he might not be able to save someone who might depend on him, hurt to think that he might even have to watch Jounouchi die right in front of him. He didn't want it to happen, and yet he was unsure of whether he could do anything at all to stop it, and so he simply held the other boy as close as he dared, eyes glancing around the room every few seconds in a half-crazed attempt to find something - _anything_ - that he may have missed. 

"Not safe here ..." An almost distant mumbling; Honda pulled back just enough to look at the blonde before nodding and releasing him. Jounouchi stretched, narrowing his eyes to see just a little better in the darkness, then looked over his shoulder with a cocky grin that the brunette could just barely make out. "Then, what are we waiting for, right? Can't let him outshine us, can we?" A tentative step forward. "Besides ... I told him we'd fight to stay alive. I don't want to turn out to be a liar." 

- - -

_**Atemu? I was wondering ...**_

He had been walking in silence for a while at that point, although it seemed as though barely any time had passed at all. Neither he nor Yuugi dared to say anything and instead focused all of their combined efforts and attention on finding Anzu. Atemu's mood had been growing steadily grimmer, and Yuugi had become extremely concerned for his other self. As such, he had taken it upon himself to break their silence and attempt to lighten his other's mood in some way. 

When there was no response, he pressed as close as he could to Atemu's consciousness, humming softly before asking, _**Atemu, are you listening?**_ Again, there was no response, and he sent a wave of sorrow to the other, only to immediately receive what felt like a gentle, comforting pat; he took it as a signal to continue. _**You called the Black Magician 'old friend.' I ... was he ... real?**_

A soft chuckle; Atemu closed his eyes, smiling gently. _Very much so; as much as I once was._ His thoughts seemed distant and yet strangely alluring at the same time, and Yuugi found himself becoming increasingly curious. Nudging against Atemu's consciousness again, he silently urged the other to continue. _I grew up with him. I suppose you could say that I thought of him as an older brother, really, although he always seemed so cautious around me. But ..._ Gentle laughter now accompanied his thoughts, and the dark mood seemed almost completely forgotten. _Well, he couldn't really be blamed for that. There would have been hell to pay if I'd ever been harmed, after all. Not that it ever stopped me ..._

_**Meaning?**_ But the former pharaoh seemed to be too lost in his own memories to respond; Yuugi almost felt jealous, and he pushed against the other again, more firmly this time, trying to see what held his beloved's attention. 

_I was reckless,_ he responded finally. _I never took care to watch what I was doing or where I was going, and Mahaado constantly had to remind me that I was the prince whenever I did something stupid. Like this one time ..._ His thoughts trailed off, and he began chuckling again, leaning against the wall for support. It was strange, in a way; he had almost forgotten about it until Yuugi had questioned just how real his friend was.' 

_**One time?**_ He was curious, to say the least; his curiosity was something that Atemu loved most about him, however. 

He didn't respond right away, knowing just how concerned Yuugi would be at hearing the truth, but he gave in soon enough. _He'd been bitten by a snake, and ... well, he was my closest friend - most were too afraid to get close enough to just relax with me - and I didn't want anything to happen to him. So ..._

_**Please tell me that you didn't suck the venom out yourself.**_ But Atemu merely laughed, and a soft shudder hit him as Yuugi pouted inside of him; he didn't like the thought of his beloved putting himself in such danger so very willingly. _**Atemu, that's ... I mean ... you could have been ...**_ He let his thoughts die away, not sure of just what he could say and feeling so helpless against the one-time king's past experiences. 

"The two of you would get along very well," he commented, smirking at the annoyed huff that his words gained from the boy within him. _He said something like that, as well,_ he admitted, taking care to make his words to Yuugi as soothing as he possibly could. _And I realized sometime later that he was right, of course, but all that I could think of at the time was keeping him alive. I didn't want him to die._ He leaned his head back against the wall, eyes still closed, and an air of sincerity surrounded him. 

_**Mm ... I can understand that,**_ Yuugi said finally, and a grateful smile appeared on Atemu's lips as he stood up straight again, walking forward once more. They fell into silence again as he carefully made his way along the wall, searching for where he might have to turn next; his instincts, along with his own connection to the shadows, allowed him to see more than he might have been able to otherwise, but he still could not make out just how the maze was laid out. 

"Tricky, tricky ..." he muttered under his breath, crimson eyes, narrowing as he glanced around himself; there was a chill in the air, one that hadn't been there moments earlier, and his spine stiffened. He dodged to the left just as a spear struck at the air where he had stood moments earlier, and his chest heaved with a heavy breath as he stared at that spot. "Wouldn't it figure ...?" Holding his right hand out in front of himself, he concentrated, closing his fingers into a loose fist, as though he were holding onto something. Within him, Yuugi nearly asked just what he was doing just as a sword suddenly appeared out of the darkness; the spear came at Atemu again, and he jumped back, batting a quick parry at it as he did so, knocking the wielder off guard momentarily. _Kind of weak; does he mock me with whatever spirit he has sent?_

_**My other self, look out!**_

Crimson eyes locked onto the tip of the spear just in time, and Atemu raised his sword to block, just barely holding back his opponent. His eyes narrowed dangerously, and he growled out, "I don't have time for this." Thrusting forward with all of his might, he managed to push his assailant back as he made a quick slash; a tormented, inhuman scream enveloped the area, and he flinched back, covering his ears just as whatever he had cut disappeared. A frown settled onto his features, and he straightened himself up, looking around to regain his bearings before moving on again. _Thank you, my partner. It would appear that I let my guard down too soon._

_**Reckless indeed,**_ came the joking response, and he smiled as Yuugi's lighthearted laughter filled his head. There was silence again, although it was more uneasy this time as Yuugi seemed to fidget within him; the boy had something that he wanted to know, Atemu could tell, but was unable to determine how to phrase it. 

He looked for any signs of where the thief may have placed Anzu as he waited for his little one to come to a decision on if he would actually ask his question or not. One step forward, two steps; each movement he made was faster and almost more desperate than the last, as though he felt the weight of impending disaster pressing against him. His footfalls echoed in the darkness, each louder than the last until they were akin to the cacophony of beating drums on the battlefield. 

_Huh?_ He stopped short suddenly, looking around in confusion. Something was different, although he couldn't quite place what it was or why he even felt that way. His eyes darted around in the darkness, and he frowned some, a growl forming deep in his throat. Frustration overcame him, and it took all that he had to not begin pacing in an attempt to quell the sensation. _What happened ...?_ A slow step forward, followed by one to the side. His frown deepened. _The path widened?_

It was strange, when he thought about it; the maze had been fairly predictable until then - almost too much so - that it now seemed too much like he was being led to this one specific place. _And perhaps,_ he considered silently, _I was. Perhaps this was his plan all along._ Within him, Yuugi's concern washed over his awareness, and he frowned as he looked at the alcove. It bothered him, in a way, and the feeling was not dispelled in the least when his eyes made out a stone altar at the center. _Little one, whatever happens from here on, I promise that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Do you understand?_ He stepped forward with the utmost caution, frown still present on his lips. _This is where the battle truly begins, and ..._ The thought trailed away as his eyes locked onto the altar again; he had realized as soon as he had seen the structure that there might be someone on it, and had hoped that he had been wrong. His suspicion, unfortunately, was now confirmed, and he was sure that he knew exactly who had been placed onto it. _I don't want you hurt by what you may see here, Yuugi ..._

But the boy had already seen it, in spite of the former pharaoh's wish; he saw the body resting on the altar, and he had already worked out just what it was for. The room was no different than any used for sacrificial rituals in the past, and Yuugi screamed in rage within the room of his soul. _**No! You can't let this happen! You can't let him do this to her! Atemu ... she's ... this is ...**_ But the words died away as he seemed to lose the ability to form them into proper, coherent thoughts. 

_I will stop it, Yuugi. I promised you that I would save her, and I will not go back on my word. Trust in me._ He continued forward, anger blazing in his eyes; enough people had been thrown into the way in the thief's vengeful plans three thousand years earlier without Anzu needing to be put at risk, as well. His grip tightened on the sword that he had nearly forgotten was still held in his hand as he moved closer, tension built so tightly that it was practically a string just waiting to snap on a moment's notice. 

His eyes scanned the area again, looking above the altar for anything that he might be able to see; three blades, he noticed, poised and waiting to bite into anyone or anything that got in their way. Somehow, he knew that they weren't meant for Yuugi's close friend; somehow, he knew that the tomb robber had set them to react to one person, and one person alone. 

_Tricky,_ he thought. _And much cleverer than I have given him credit for, I admit._ He felt Yuugi's question without the boy even needing to ask it and merely shook his head, preferring not to answer it. _I didn't want to do this. Forgive me, little one._

_**Atemu?**_

_I am the target,_ his thoughts whispered to the boy, and he closed his eyes, concentrating as hard as he could on the task at hand. He hated knowing just how much he would be betraying Yuugi's faith and trust with the action that he was about to take, but he needed to do it; it was the only way that he could protect him from what was to come. _Forgive me,_ he sent again, biting back a yell as he felt a pull on his body that felt almost as though he were being torn in two. 

His eyes remained closed as the sensation subsided; soft, gasping breaths reached his ears, so very familiar. Slowly, crimson eyes cracked open to small slits. One step back. His eyes opened fully, filled with an unspoken apology as he looked into the shocked, fearful, and hurt violet eyes of the one he loved. 

"Atemu ...?" 

- - -

**Disclaimer:** Yuugiou is the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. I do not claim any right to the series or its characters, and I should probably apologize for the hell I'm likely to be putting them through in this story.   
**Other Note:**I'm terribly sorry for the huge delay on this chapter. I kept getting blocked on just how to execute everything in spite of having it all planned out from about two weeks after I finished chapter six. Add onto that a random bout of strep throat (in the middle of the summer), and some personal problems ... it all adds up to me being out of the whole writing game for a bit. But hopefully the next chapter won't take me quite as long as this one!   
**Language Note:** In response to a review to chapter six on 'Jounouchi' being a given name and 'Katsuya' being a family name: no, I'm sorry, but it's not. If you'd like proof of my statement, I would like to point you to the Japanese-English dictionary at linear. Uncheck the box for 'words,' check the box for 'names,' make sure that 'Japanese' is highlighted, and type 'Jounouchi' into the text field. You'll find that the entries come up with an 's' (for 'surname/family name') next to them. If you put in 'Katsuya,' you'll find that the entries tend to show up with a 'u' (undetermined/unknown at present by the server) or 'g' (a non-gender-specific given name). Also, if you look in the manga, Kazuki Takahashi points out a small error that he made at one point, where he used the wrong given name for Jounouchi (this note appears in volume 7), and that his given name is, in fact, 'Katsuya.' So, no, his family name is not 'Katsuya,' and his given name is not 'Jounouchi'; doing a little research into the matter before giving a criticism on such a matter would be recommended in the future. And, by the way, on the point of calling 'Jounouchi' as 'Jou,' please just stop with it. It is rude to shorten a person's family name, and, if you bother to ever actually look at the original series, you'll find that Jounouchi is never once referred to as 'Jou,' as the characters would not be so rude as to do something like that. (Forgive me if I come off as snarky. I don't like to nor do I mean to; I just don't like people getting their information wrong and then accusing me of messing it up when I haven't.) 


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